Intergovernmental cooperation in river-basin and watershed management: a case study from the arid northwest China

ABSTRACT

Graphical Abstract: 【Graphical abstract showing a conceptual framework for intergovernmental cooperation in watershed governance in arid northwest China. The central circle presents the study topic and notes use of SPSS 26.0. On the left, key challenges are listed as water scarcity, cross-boundary interdependence, and upstream-downstream conflicts. At the top, structure/process factors include a cooperation network and governance processes of communication, oversight, and incentives and constraints. On the right, performance outcomes include ecological health, conflict reduction, and adaptive capacity. At the lower left, methods include survey and analysis, regression and mediation, and SPSS 26.0. At the lower right, policy messages are strengthen accountability, align incentives, and enhance communication. A small circle at the bottom highlights 4 goals, 23 processes, and 89 conditions. Arrows indicate that cooperation links governance structure and process to watershed performance, with some effects mediated through cooperation.】

Rivers and watersheds in arid regions face severe governance challenges because hydrological interdependence crosses administrative boundaries, while water scarcity intensifies conflicts between upstream and downstream jurisdictions and among ecological and socio-economic goals. This study examines how intergovernmental cooperation affects watershed governance performance in arid Northwest China using a structure-process-performance framework. We conceptualize cooperation as the structure of intergovernmental networks and four mechanisms: interest coordination, communication and consultation, oversight accountability, and incentives and constraints. Based on a questionnaire survey of government agencies and basin-management organizations in the Kashgar River Basin, we test reliability and validity and estimate multiple linear regression and mediation models in SPSS 26.0. The results show that oversight accountability and incentives and constraints significantly improve governance performance, whereas cooperation networks and interest coordination have no significant direct effects. Communication and consultation mediate the effects of cooperation networks and selected mechanisms on performance. These findings indicate that, under scarcity, soft collaborative arrangements are insufficient without credible accountability, aligned incentives, and transparent information disclosure. Policy priorities include refining performance indicators, strengthening enforcement and disclosure, and institutionalizing cross-jurisdiction communication platforms.