Overview
Modern water rights deal with the regulation and allocation of water and its sources. Traditionally, a regional authority would decide how much each holder of a "water right" would be able to claim. But with water shortages becoming more common, these authorities are now asking previous water rights holders to justify their claim with historical data on usage and future plans for conservation and use.
Mark Twain said, “Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.” Indeed, water rights have been a source of conflict and controversy throughout the history of the world. Ever expanding populations and resulting development continue to exacerbate the debate, particularly in the American West.
References
NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require a password.
How America Uses Water
- Thermoelectric power 41%
- Irrigation 37%
- Public Supply 12%
- Self-supplied industrial 5%
- Aquaculture 2%
- Mining 1%
- Self-supplied domestic 1%
- Livestock <1%
Source: Water Use in the United States (U.S. Geological Survey, Jun. 17, 2018)
Water Resources & Issues
Buried in Mud: Wildfires Threaten North American Water Supplies (Salon, Feb. 18, 2020)
Lawmakers, Activists Open Groundwater Fight Against Bottled-Water Companies (Texarkana Gazette, Feb. 16, 2020)
IU Creates Climate Change Data Portal to Model State’s Future Water Supply (Indiana University, Feb. 12, 2020)
Trump Administration Cuts Back Federal Protections for Streams and Wetlands (NPR, Jan. 23, 2020)
Managing Fresh Water Across the United States (NASA, Jul. 8, 2019)
2019 State of the Water Industry Report (American Water Works Association, Jun. 30, 2019)
Water Rights
Houston’s Water Rights are Safe - for Now (Houston Chronicle, Jan. 9, 2020)
Rising Cost of Water Rights in Loveland Squeezes Local Developers (Loveland Reporter-Herald, Dec. 28, 2019)
Montana’s Water Rights Fractured by New Development (High Country News, Dec. 5, 2019)
Far West Texas Ranch on the Market is All About the Water (The Dallas Morning News, Sep. 16, 2019)
Water Rights (Investopedia, Aug. 15, 2019)
Land Use & Water
Washington State Opens Groundwater Fight Against Bottled Water Companies (Press Herald, Feb. 14, 2020)
Why isn’t Water Central to Every Local Land-Use Decision in Colorado? (The Journal, Feb. 11, 2020)
Louisiana Lawmakers Try to Balance Property Rights with Public Land Use (Minden Press-Herald, Jan. 22, 2020)
Irrigation & Water Use (United States Department of Agriculture)
Water Quality Issues
Warm, Wet Winter is Bad News for Local Water Quality in 2020 (University of Rhode Island Today, Feb. 17, 2020)
U.S. Supreme Court Lets Flint, Michigan Residents Sue Over Water Contamination (Reuters, Jan. 21, 2020)
U.S. Drinking Water Widely Contaminated with ‘Forever Chemicals:’ Environment Watchdog (Reuters, Jan. 21, 2020)
The Trouble with America’s Water (The Atlantic, Sep. 11, 2019)
Water/Color: A Study of Race & The Water Affordability Crisis in America’s Cities (NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, May 31, 2019)
Related Websites
USGS Water-Quality Information (United States Geological Survey)
Water Resources Index (United States Geological Survey)
Water Quality "Glossary" (United States Geological Survey)
American Water Resources Association
National Groundwater Association
American Water Works Association
Surf Your Watershed (United States Environmental Protection Agency)—search by zip code
Agriculture and Land Use (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
Urban Land Use and Water Quality (United States Geological Survey)
Water Use in the United States (United States Geological Survey)
Water: U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
eBooks & Other Resources
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Member Support. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Member Support at 800-874-6500 for assistance.
Understanding Water Rights and Conflicts (Denver, CO: Burg Young Publishing, 2003) TD 345 Y9
Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly and the Politics of Thirst (New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2002) TD 345 W257
Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America’s Fresh Waters (Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002) TD 223 G58
When the Rivers Run Dry (eBook)
The Clean Water Act Handbook, 2nd ed. (Chicago, IL: American Bar Association, 2003) KF 3790 C54
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