Water Wars: The Need for a National Water Policy

Abstract

Conflict, unlike any we ve seen before, may soon be facing our nation. The availability of clean water equates directly to survival, growth, and prosperity. Human population growth and development, as well as environmental considerations, place ever increasing demands on water. America's lack of a national water policy is already beginning to reveal the underlying tensions, fears, and anxiety that exist in various parts of our country. At least, three states are currently in a heated debate over the allocation and use of water in their region. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages several fresh water reservoirs across the country. The Corps often finds itself in the middle of such disputes over the supply, use, and allocation of this essential national resource. Competing demands for drinking water, ecosystem sustainability, hydropower, and recreation present difficult challenges to the Corps and our Nation. A national water policy will alleviate some of these tensions and provide for a more efficient and effective method of managing this critical resource across the nation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 30, 2007
Accession Number
ADA469088

Entities

People

  • Byron Jorns

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Congress
  • Drainage Basins
  • Environmental Protection
  • Governments
  • Great Lakes
  • Groundwater
  • Law
  • Motivation
  • National Governments
  • Natural Resources
  • Thirst
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges
  • Water Resources
  • Water Supplies

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Strategic Security Studies
  • Wetland-Land-Environmental Management.