PA 566 Water Resources Policy and Administration

Reviews the history, politics, and institutions related to current water policy and administration in the United States. Examines policy history leading to present institutional and legal arrangements for federal, tribal, regional, state, and local water quality and quantity decision making. Attention is given to the industrial development of the East and created water resources of the arid West as a way to understand changing social sentiments toward water and water policy. Examines the evolution of purpose in pollution laws from human health protection to include ecosystem health protection and explores implementation of such protection through "watershed" approaches to land use and water quality management by NGOs, and federal, state, and local government. A major theme is the problem of developing coherent water policies in a policy arena which has divided authority, plural traditions, and multiple resource and social issues.