Fundamental concepts of water rights in the United States -- Ownership of water : does it really matter? -- Problems in determining the fair market value of water -- Right-of-way acquisition : the oft-ignored key to water policy -- Duties and obligations of real estate license holders in water rights -- The federal government versus the states : the best example is known as "WOTUS" -- The path through the maze -- A view of the future -- Appendix A: Briefs on water regulations and regulatory agencies state by state -- Appendix B: A partial list of significant state-versus-state court disputes in water -- Appendix C: Waters of the United States (WOTUS) fact sheets.
Summary:
"As water becomes ever more important in a rapidly growing United States challenged by lessening firm-yield water reliability, the public needs to understand the myriads of quite different state-by-state water policies. States share surface water and groundwater sources that relate to each other conjunctively. Texans for example, should understand New Mexico water ownership and state policies because they share surface water and groundwater sources. Californians should understand Nevada's water policies for the same reasons. Above all else, the people of the United States must realize that a water policy in one state can drastically impact water availability in neighboring states. Although the federal government has supra-legal authority over some state water policies and acts as the ultimate arbiter of interstate disputes, no one current book exists that explains the complicated relationships between state water policies with an analysis of federal water policies. Water Rights in the United States : A Guide through the Maze is a one-stop resource providing a state-by-state analysis of water ownership, regulatory agencies, and water polices. It explains the complicated relationships between state water policies and provides an analysis of federal water polices. How we manage these policies is of utmost importance to all Americans"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.