Description
Geographers, engineers, economists, and other researchers and practitioners explore particular streams or particular passages in the development of water resource planning and management in the US, considering policy, theory, and most importantly how they have intertwined. Among the topics are the evolution of public involvement in water planning, the theory and practice of benefit-cost analysis, environmental issues, collaboration between ecologists and economists, real decisions in real political contexts, an overview of American law for allocating water, and making the transition into the 21st century. The volume contributes to the history of science, technology, and politics but also--considering that the field is only two score old--provides practitioners with views that may remain valid, even if outside the limelight at the moment. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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This broad review of the development of US water resource policy analysis and practice offers perspectives from several disciplines: law, economics, engineering, ecology and political science. While the historical context provided goes back to the early 19th century, the book concentrates on the past 60 years and features a discussion of the difficulty that has generally been encountered in bringing the disciplines of economics and ecology into collaboration in the water resource context.The book explores the evolution of water related analytical capabilities and institutions and provides illustrations from case studies, concluding with recommendations for research, institutional change and action. Though designed to be a background textbook for interdisciplinary graduate seminars in water resources planning and management, it is accessible to interested lay readers and those who have policymaking or implementation responsibility but lack a technical background.The book will appeal to students and faculty in water policy, economics, and engineering, and in interdisciplinary programs organized around water resource problems and questions. Policy makers and general readers will also appreciate this non-technical introduction.
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