- Resource System
- Watershed and associated topography
- Resource Units
- Freshwater
The resource appropriated from Obara Pond is water for irrigation, and the case takes place in the settlement of Niiike Buraku on the coastal plain of Okayama Prefecture in the Honshu island of Japan. This irrigation system is comprised of a pond a little more than two acres in area, as well as the ditches that lead water to 10 acres of farmland. At the beginning of the period, there was an apparently balanced supply of biological and physical resources withdrawn compared to the number of units available. The Obara Pond is a small-scale water resource. According to the study, it was managed quite well by the users with the presence of a larger collective organization, the oaza.
This case study is part of the original Common-Pool Resource (CPR) database. A summary of the original CPR coding conducted in the 1980s by Edella Schlager and Shui Yan Tang at Indiana University may be found under the CPR tab in the Institutional Analysis section below.
The resource appropriated from Obara Pond is water (for irrigation). This irrigation system is comprised of a pond of over two acres in area, and the ditches leading water to 10 acres of farmland.
SCREENER:
Case: Obara Pond, Japan
The information regarding the following common-pool resource system was taken from empirical evidence from a field setting. Data on the system was extracted from a chapter in a book. Currently, there are no additional documents to cite which may provide further information about this common-pool resource.
These documents describe two resources in detail. The primary resource is the Obara Pond, situated in Niiike buraku of Japan. More generally, it is located in Orient. The system's sector is that of water. Relatively good information has been collected about the stakes of participants who appropriate from Obara Pond. The condition of this resource is well understood. Complete information is available regarding the strategies used by key groups interacting with the system. There is thorough documentation of the operational rules for this resource. This is the result of a high level of confidence that the authors who recorded the features of Obara Pond have a complete knowledge of its particulars. Furthermore, the authors have provided sufficient data to formulate a structured coding process.
At the beginning of the period discussed by the authors, there was an apparently balanced supply of biological and physical resources withdrawn compared to the number of units available. Appropriator teams for the resource are always formally organized.
The Obara Pond was a small-scale water resource. According to the article, it was managed quite well by the users with the presence of a larger collective organization, the oaza.
CITATION(S):
Beardsley, Richard K., John W. Hall, and Robert E. Ward (1959) "Japanese Irrigation Cooperatives." In VILLAGE JAPAN. Chicago: The University of Chicago, reprinted in (1980) IRRIGATION AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, edited by Walter E. Coward Jr., 127-152. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
The resource appropriated from Obara Pond is water (for irrigation). It is produced physically and is a renewable moving (fugitive) unit. This irrigation system is comprised of a pond of over two acres in area, and the ditches leading water to 10 acres of farmland.
The boundary of this resource has natural/constructed attributes which do not limit entry. The boundaries of this resource are smaller than the location, and exist in one country, and are not divided among multiple general purpose local jurisdictions at a single level. The boundaries of this resource are independent of a development project designed by non-residents.
There are not distinct and stable micro-environmental or ecological zones within this resource (educated guess). The quality and/or quantity of units is not regularly better in some of the zones than in others (educated guess).
There are strategic points within the resource where the main flow of the water (for irrigation) can be controlled (inferred). There is not considerable variation over space in the availability of water (for irrigation) within the resource (educated guess). There is considerable, and mildly predictable variation in the flow of water (for irrigation) within a single year (inferred). There is not considerable variation in the flow of water (for irrigation) from year to year (educated guess).
The topography of the resource or the land immediately around the resource is gently undulating (educated guess).
The boundaries of the production resource are roughly equivalent to the boundaries of the appropriation resource (inferred). The boundaries of the production resource are not equivalent to the boundaries of the location, but lie within the boundaries of the location (highly confident). The boundaries of the distribution resource are roughly equivalent to the boundaries of the appropriation resource (highly confident). The boundaries of the production resource are not equivalent to the boundaries of the distribution resource. Production is within the boundaries of distribution.
The irrigators being served by this production organization do not participate in the selection of the officials of the production agency except as citizens in a general election (highly confident).
The resource appropriated from Obara Pond is water (for irrigation). This irrigation system is comprised of a pond of over two acres in area, and the ditches leading water to 10 acres of farmland.
OPERATIONAL LEVEL:
TYPE OF SITUATION
The processes described in the related documents are primarily related to appropriation, production, distribution and use.
EVENTS MARKING THE BEGINNING ACTION SITUATION
It is estimated that the operational level coded on this form ended in 1950. The estimated duration of the patterns that are described in this form is 51 to 75 years. Throughout the duration there were no changes made in operational, collective, or consititutional rules. There was no change in resource size or structure. There was no new technology introduced to the system over the duration of the patterns coded on this form. There was no substantial external change in the value of the units appropriated. The quantity of units available did not change due to a change in appropriation patterns of other appropriators' withdrawals from the same production or distribution resource. There were no new groups starting to withdraw units from the appropriation resource. There was no recorded change to one or more variables internal to the operational level. The author begins the description of this case at this point in history.
CONDITIONS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF PERIOD COVERED BY THIS FORM*
For biological resources at the beginning of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was apparently balanced (educated guess). For biological resources at the end of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was apparently balanced (educated guess). For physical resources at the beginning of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the quantity of units needed, given the usual patterns of use for these units was apparently balanced (educated guess). For physical resources at the end of the period the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the quantity of units needed, given the usual patterns of use for these units, was apparently balanced (educated guess).
The following includes the available statistics on the use of this resource at the beginning of the time period, followed by the end of the time period:
*In fisheries and other biological systems, this is the maximum sustainable number of units. In irrigation, this refers to the optimal water requirements of the crops in the established fields served by this system.
The information about how units are disposed at the beginning of the period is missing in this case.
The information about how units are disposed at the end of the period is missing in case.
As of the beginning of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was passable (educated guess). As of the end of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was passable (educated guess). At the beginning of the period of the study, there were no problems of pollution in this or other resources, due to the way units are being appropriated. At the end of the period of the study, there were no problems of pollution in this or other resources due to the way units are being appropriated. As of the beginning of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was quite low (ambiguous). As of the end of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was quite low. At the beginning of this study, the interference between the appropriation technology for this resource and the appropriation processes for other resources in this location had no effect on the appropriation resources (educated guess). At the end of this study, the interference between the appropriation technology for this resource and the appropriation processes for other resources in this location had no effect on the appropriation resources (educated guess). At the end of this study the appropriation resource was well maintained, and in excellent working order (inferred). At the beginning of this period the appropriators shared moderate to high levels of mutual trust (e.g. oral promises given high credence) (inferred). ## Unknown markup: Start ##By the end of this period no change had occurred in the property rights regime related to the appropriation resource (educated guess).
INFORMATION LEVELS
The appropriators of this resource can be seen by each other while withdrawing units from the resource (educated guess). There are not actions being taken, by appropriators or officials, to generate information about the condition of the resource (educated guess). There are sometimes records of the appropriators' contributions to monitoring of the resource kept in a systematic way. There are arenas being used for the exchange of information about conditions of the resource (ambiguous). Appropriators get together to discuss mutual problems of the resource weekly (ambiguous). The appropriators have an intimate knowledge of the characteristics of this resource.
POTENTIAL ACTIONS AND LEVELS OF CONTROL
There are no specialized staff or workers to undertake maintenance (highly confident). The quality or quantity of the units available to the appropriators are not adversely affected by the strategies of prior appropriators, because there are no prior appropriators (inferred). There are not problems of pollution resulting from activities of others who are not appropriators of this resource or inhabitants of this location (e.g. acid rain, sewage disposal) (educated guess).
PATTERNS OF INTERACTION
Differences between subgroups relating to gender identification does not affect communication (educated guess). Differences between subgroups relating to ethnic identification does not exist (inferred). Differences between subgroups relating to clan identification does not affect communication (educated guess). Differences between subgroups relating to racial identification does not exist (inferred). Differences between subgroups relating to caste identification does not affect communication (educated guess). Differences between subgroups relating to religious identification does not affect communication (educated guess). Differences between subgroups relating to languages spoken does not exist (inferred). Differences between subgroups relating to general cultural views of the resource system and its use does not exist (inferred).
The general manner in which appropriators related to one another during this study is a relatively positive, reciprocal manner -- the presumption was made that long-term relationships are involved and positive actions are undertaken without a specific expectation of return. The documents present evidence of specific types of cooperative activities between the appropriators related to other local resources, as well as evidence that the appropriators have a general cultural pattern that stressed various types of cooperative activities besides the management of this resource. If someone violated the rules-in-use related to the appropriation process from this resource, it is likely that he/she would encounter social sanctions imposed by other appropriators (who are not filling posititions as official monitors) (ambiguous). If someone violates the rules-in-use related to the appropriation process from this resource, it is likely as not that he/she would encounter physical sanctions by other appropriators (who are not filling posititions as official monitors) (ambiguous). If someone violates the rules-in-use related to the appropriation process from this resource, it is likely that an official monitor or guard would move to impose sanctions (ambiguous).
POSITIONS AND PARTICIPANTS
At the end of the period studied the position of non-appropriator (individuals prevented from using the resource) did exist. At the end of the period studied there was an estimate of 51-100 participant(s) in this position (educated guess). At the beginning of the period there was a general estimate of 25-50 appropriators (inferred). A general estimate of the number of participants in the team appropriation process was 25-50, at the beginning of the period (highly confident). The "official" position of monitor (apart from the willingness of all appropriators to monitor) does exist, and appropriators (not necessarily all) rotated into this position (highly confident).
The general estimate for the number of official monitors on duty at one time during peak hours was 1-5 (highly confident). Official monitors are paid in money. Very few of the monitors were full-time (highly confident).
NUMBER AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SUBGROUPS
There will be 1 subgroup form(s) completed in relation to this operational level form. The ID number(s) of the subgroup(s) coded are as follows: 31 - 0 - 0 - 0
EVALUATION OF RESULTS
There are no appropriators who were consistently disadvantaged in this period (educated guess). The relatively worst off appropriators have not been cut out of their benefits from this resource or substantially harmed (educated guess). By the end of the period studied the distance between those who were the least advantaged and those who were the most advantaged could be characterized as remaining relatively constant over time (educated guess).
AUTHOR'S EVALUATION AND CAUSAL ASSUMPTIONS
The resource appropriated from Obara Pond is water (for irrigation). This irrigation system is comprised of a pond of over two acres in area, and the ditches leading water to 10 acres of farmland.
Japanese Irrigation Cooperatives. Irrigation and Agricultural Development in Asia: Perspectives from the Social Sciences. :127-152.
. 1980.