ABSTRACT
It is almost obligatory for anyone writing on federalism today to note the multiple ways of looking at intergovernmental relations which abound in the literature. Scholars and politicians continually find it necessary to invent new names, create new models, or make up new metaphors for federalism. There has been considerable political controversy in the field of natural resources which could be classified under the rubric of the pejorative federalism models. In addition to the remaining public domain lands, public lands now include additional lands acquired or reserved by the federal government for national monuments, parks, forests, and other specified uses. The history of public lands policy can generally be divided into four eras: acquisition, disposition, reservation, and management. The history of water policy has always been closely linked with that of the land. In tracing this history, the discussion will be divided into four eras: navigation and flood control; construction and development; interagency conflict; and devolution.
