Regional water system development and management in the U.S. southwest

Regional water management has continuously been a challenge for management agencies throughout the United States, however, none has been as controversial as water management in the southwest. Also due to the vast differences in climate and topography across the southwest, each regional water supply system possesses different problems. Water supplies for this region of the country come from various groundwater aquifers and major river basins. This paper explores the water management of supply, demand, and transfers in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, along with how the various state water policies and federal actions govern the management of regional water supply systems. The vast differences in state water policies and laws coupled with federal policies related to both interstate boundaries, Native American Indian issues, and international boundaries make the water management in these three states a continual challenge. The objective of this paper is to illustrate the development and management of regional water systems in the southwestern U.S.