Excerpt
A national consensus on water management is urgently needed. But frustration pervades the water policymaking scene, particularly among state and local leaders. Why? Because there is substantial agreement among political leaders and water professionals outside of Washington on the general outline of a national water policy. Yet the federal government does nothing to adopt a coherent, sensible, workable national water policy.
Some recurring themes
Congress created a National Water Commission in 1968. After five years of study, including the preparation of more than 60 background papers by some of the nation's most competent scholars, the commission issued its conclusions and recommendations. These covered every aspect of water supply, quality, and use.
Throughout these conclusions and recommendations were seven regularly recurring themes. These themes are all worth recalling
1. Water management planning is imperative.
2. Strategies must be developed to resolve conflicts among uses, particularly recognizing the increasing claims of noncommercial uses and users …
Footnotes
Leonard U. Wilson is secretary of the Agency of Environmental Conservation, State of Vermont, Montpelier, Vermont 05602. This commentary is based on a speech at the 1984 Nebraska Water Conference.
- Copyright 1985 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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