ABSTRACT
Competition for scarce water supplies and meeting the water and sanitation needs of an ever-growing population are recognized concerns worldwide. Within the developed world, the American Southwest is facing some of the most critical challenges, with the state of Arizona as a prime example. Growing population, water scarcity, long-term drought, and predictions of warming temperatures require sound water planning and management. Water management in the US is highly decentralized, with the federal government playing a limited role. Except for federally established drinking water and discharge standards, endangered species regulations related to federal action, and waters that cross state or national boundaries, water management and regulation are the responsibilities of subnational jurisdictions. Variation in legal and institutional settings across the US is reflected in variation in state and local water management and policy.
