Comprehensive water resources management includes a variety of factors, among which are water quantity and quality, institutional and legal aspects, and economics. Even though water quality has begun to attain some prominence, its relation to water quantity and to water system operation has been largely overlooked. The Colorado River system in the United States is a case in point. The river basin encompasses an area which is one-twelfth the size of the continental United States. The water is utilized mainly for irrigation of semi-arid areas in the southwestern part of the United States and in northwestern Mexico. Despite its importance, the river system operates under laws and regulations that are not condusive to efficiency. Consequently [...]
