Options for future effective water management in Lombok: A multi-level nested framework

•We examine water governance in Lombok Indonesia using Ostrom’s principles for successful self-governing institutions.•Community-based decision-making processes provide a sound basis for water allocation for irrigation at a local level.•Greater collaboration at multiple levels would improve information exchange and transparency. Previous research on water use in Lombok identified reduced water available in springs and limits on seasonal water availability. It foreshadowed increasing competition for water resources in critical areas of Lombok. This study examines preliminary information on local social–institutional arrangements for water allocation in the context of Ostrom’s rules for self-governing institutions. We identify robust customary mechanisms for decision-making about water sharing and rules at a local level and suggest areas of further investigation for strengthening multi-level networked and nested frameworks, in collaboration with higher levels of government.