Policy (dis)integration in water management: a historical analysis of a Swiss case

Abstract

Abstract Over the past 170 years, water management in Switzerland has undergone a profound transformation. What began as a localized, event-driven practice shaped by immediate needs and local initiative—such as efforts to ensure flood protection—gradually evolved into a complex, multi-level system shaped by cantonal and federal regulations. These regulatory developments reflect shifting policy priorities across a broad range of water-related interests, including flood protection, agriculture, nature conservation, energy production, fisheries, and safe drinking water, that risk conflict in their implementation if not consciously coordinated. This article investigates the historical development of water policy and management in the Swiss case study of Alptal valley (local level) in the Canton of Schwyz (regional level) from 1848 to 2021. Drawing on archival and legislative documents, we examined the drivers of change and how interests in protection from water, water use, and protection of water have been differently prioritized over time. The findings show an increase in policy integration at the cantonal level, aligning diverse water-related interests under a more coordinated and holistic approach. We also identify a growing tension: as regional (cantonal) integration deepens, local self-governance structures such as the Wuhrkorporation Alp risk disintegration. These findings underscore the historical and ongoing challenge of balancing top-down integration with bottom-up historical practices with valuable local knowledge. Understanding this dynamic is crucial not only for appreciating how Swiss water management has evolved, but also for informing future responses to pressing multi-interest driven challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, as well as food and water security.