Freshwater Issues: A Reference Handbook

(Hardback)

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A compelling look at the challenges of fresh water conservation and management issues facing the United States at the start of the new millennium. Water. One of the most hotly contested issues in the United States today. The issue is exacerbated by pollution; waste, growing usage, legal battles, federal and state regulations, and a host of other complications. The "elixir of life" will be the source of debate and conflict for years to come. Battles have been fought, lives have been lost, countries divided, and all for one reason - water. Fresh Water Issues provides a quick education in the basics and essential Issues of fresh water management. From water supply and resource information, to the role of water in ecosystems, the coverage also provides global water data, examines uncertainties about future water supplies, and addresses technological advances in the development of water resources and environmental safeguards. Comprehensive treatment is given to water rights, allocation issues, and U.S. water laws and their many regional variations. This is followed by an explanation of the economics of water, from ownership and pricing to social impact and discussions of often-conflicting public, environmental, and private interests. The war over water has just begun.

Reviews

"A basic introduction discusses freshwater management, followed by a fairly exhaustive compilation of facts and figures, a policy time line beginning in 1783, lists of agencies and associations involved in freshwater management, and further readings. Recommended. All collections." - Choice "[C]omplete and current in its coverage ... Anyone interested in America's water resources will gain from referencing it. It should be contained in the reference section of all public and school libraries." - American Reference Books Annual

Author Bio

Zachary Smith is Regents' Professor of political science at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. Grenetta Thomassey is in the Department of Political Science at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.