UNIVERSITIES COUNCIL ON WATER RESOURCES WATER RESOURCES UPDATE, ISSUE 126, PAGES 6-11, NOVEMBER 2003

Perspectives on a National Water Policy

Gerald E. Galloway

Titan Corporation

When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water. the above challenges and to discuss what could be -Benjamin Franklin- done to head off a looming crisis (AWRA, 2002). Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1746 The Setting oday, it is difficult to pick up a newspaper and not find a national or international story The Nation clearly faces water resources Tabout water. Droughts, floods, climate challenges. While there may be disagreements about change, navigation, water quality, riverine and the specific nature of the problems and their relative estuarine ecology are all in the headlines on a importance when weighed against other problems, frequent basis. Companion articles focus on the there was consensus on areas of concern. deteriorating infrastructure that supports these • Drought is a continuing problem across the systems. Scholars studying world water resources country. During the summer of 2002, 49 percent see water as a source of conflict and discord of the contiguous United States was in moderate throughout the world. A recent photo of farmers to extreme drought. Precipitation had been fighting with government officials to open the taps significantly below average in 27 states, and the for irrigation in the Klamath Valley, Oregon, months preceding the summers were the driest illustrates that such conflicts are not just overseas. on record in four southeastern states and two Yet, when one searches the Internet for a national Rocky Mountain States. Although 2003 offered water policy or vision statement that might in some some relief to the East, parts of the Southeast organized fashion inform government and public and Western United States have been in various action, nearly every citation deals with a country stages of drought since 1998 (NOAA, 2003). Bills other than the United States. Unless you consider to deal with advanced planning for drought have the jumble of laws, policies, and procedures that deal been raised and left on the table in Congress year with the various aspects of water use and control as after year. In February 2003, through the policy or vision, the United States is operating without Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003, Congress any such policy or vision. The Nation’s policy is no voted to give over $3 billion in emergency drought policy; its vision is no vision. relief aid to U.S. farmers and ranchers to mitigate In September 2002, the American Water the short-term but not solve the long-term Resources Association, with the support of ten challenges of drought. federal agencies and 25 non-federal co-sponsors, • There are strong concerns that in many areas convened a National Water Policy Dialogue in there is not enough water in the long-term for Washington D.C. More than 250 water resources municipal and industrial use. Climate change or experts, representing the public at large; industry, variability is certain to exacerbate these demands federal state and local government; environmental for new supplies. To add to the challenge, the groups; and academe met for two days to review potential of terrorist activity threatens those supplies that we now have.

UCOWR 6 WATER RESOURCES UPDATE Perspectives on a National Water Policy

• Many of our ports are operating at the margin in poor, varying from region to region and that 44 terms of channel depths. Ports are gateways to percent of estuarine areas in the U.S. are impaired domestic and international trade and support for human use or aquatic life. The threat from mobility of our armed forces. In the late 1700s, new chemicals and chemical combinations is the average three-masted schooner required only growing each day. Although the Clean Water a draft of eight feet; by the early 1930s, the Act recently celebrated its thirtieth birthday, it is average steamship needed a 26-foot (7.9m) draft. a long way from attaining its goals of fishable, Today, modern container ships are likely to need swimmable, and drinkable waters throughout the drafts of more than 45 (13.7m) feet and bulk United States (EPA, 2000, 2002b). vessels may need drafts of 60 feet (18.3m) or • Flood control, water supply and quality, more (AAPA, 2002). What depths can we afford hydropower generation, and navigation all require and where do we need them? a supporting infrastructure—dams, treatment • Annual flood losses in the United States continue plants, and other important facilities. The to worsen in spite of nearly 70 years of federal American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) flood control and more than 30 years of the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure National Flood Insurance Program. Average assessed 12 areas of infrastructure that are vital annual flood losses in the United States are to the nation’s economic survival and currently estimated at $6 billion, a figure that quality of life. Five of the twelve areas involved represents a four-fold increase over the last water (ASCE, 2001). ASCE gave: decade, or a doubling of dollars of damage per - Dams a grade of D, citing 2,100 unsafe capita in the United States (Larson and Plasencia, dams in the United States. These are 2001). dams that have deficiencies that leave • The impact of human activity in riverine areas them highly susceptible to failure. has been profound. In the 1600s, over 220 million - The nation’s 54,000 drinking water acres of wetlands are thought to have existed in systems received a D as did waste water the lower 48 states. Since then, extensive losses systems. To comply with federal water have occurred, and over half of our original regulations, drinking water systems face wetlands have been drained and converted to other an annual shortfall of $11 billion needed uses. Recent estimates of wetland trends on non- to replace facilities that are nearing the federal lands indicate an annual rate of loss of end of their useful life, and wastewater between 70,000 and 90,000 acres (EPA 2002a). systems face a $12 billion annual shortfall Partially as a result of loss of wetlands and in funding for their needs. partially as a result of other human actions, today - Navigable waterways were graded the Fish and Wildlife Service lists 1260 plants and D+ with a backlog of $38 billion in animals as threatened or endangered. Recovery active authorized projects. plans have been prepared for 976 of these species, - Energy, which includes hydropower, also but the actions to carry them out are difficult and got a D, citing that since 1990 actual will require significant investment (USFWS, capacity has increased only 7,000 2002). megawatts per year, an annual shortfall • EPA’s 2000 assessment of U.S. water quality of 30 percent. The recent power failure (1998 data) found that more than 291,000 miles in the Northeast speaks legions about the of rivers and streams do not meet water quality challenges to be faced in the energy standards. Across all types of water bodies, arena. states, territories, and tribes report that poor water quality affects aquatic life, fish consumption, While ASCE calls for infrastructure action, other swimming, and drinking water. Of the assessed groups cite the need to remove dams that either no ocean shoreline miles, 12 percent were impaired, longer serve their original purpose or threaten natural primarily because of bacteria, turbidity, and excess systems. They call for more use of non-structural nutrients. Existing data show that the overall means of preventing flood damages, new and condition of the U.S. coastal waters as fair to innovative methods of producing energy, reduction

WATER RESOURCES UPDATE 7 UCOWR Galloway and elimination of pollution and more efficient use federal level. Priorities are too often pursued in of the waters that we have. isolation and create needless conflict and gridlock. As we debate over water supply, other issues Participants called for the development of greater surround the primacy of one water use over another, synergy among federal agency programs and the including the rights of natural systems and those of pursuit of complementary objectives by these Native Americans. These differing viewpoints can agencies. be seen in the nearly 15 years of disagreement over • Collaboration and cooperation. All levels of management of the Missouri River; the decade-long government should be working in collaboration debate between North Dakota, Minnesota, and the to achieve sustainable water resource solutions Canadian Province of Manitoba over construction to critical issues. Incentives need to be put in of an outlet from Devils Lake (ND) into the Red place by government to encourage greater River of the North; and the nearly 4 years that cooperation among agencies. Solutions to many Alabama, Georgia, and Florida have been working water problems require collaboration among under a compact to allocate waters of the interests that traditionally compete with each Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers. On the other. positive side, the results of consensus building are • Information and education. The public must be reflected in the ability of myriad parties to come informed and educated about a looming water together to define the Everglades project in Florida resources crisis and the need for action. There and to work together on restoration of coastal areas should be more innovative information sharing of Louisiana. among governmental agencies to include development of common web-based platforms The Dialogue for accessing water resources data. • Blunt instruments. The federal government must The National Water Policy Dialogue brought be careful not to impose programs on the nation together individuals from all segments of the water without adequate deliberations with all resources community. After two days of intense stakeholders. Water issues and their solutions discussion among the 35 speakers and other dialogue require carefully crafted tools rather than blunt participants, it was obvious that there were many instruments. opinions and that not all of them coincided. However, • Physical security. Protection of our water not surprisingly, there were many areas in which resources is important and needs attention, but there seemed to be general agreement among there also is a need to recognize that security Dialogue participants: costs money and that it requires not only more • Balance and sustainability. Our natural money and more guards but also changes in systems are in danger. We have put them at risk culture. by our actions. Environmental needs should be • Looking ahead. We need to be looking ahead to balanced against economic requirements with the the challenges we face, not reacting to those we focus on long-term sustainability of our nation’s could have dealt with yesterday. water resources. • Water and the land. Water and land issues are • Holism and watersheds. Decisions about linked inextricably. A failure to recognize water resources are most appropriate at a this relationship inevitably leads to long-term watershed level.Water resources decisions need problems. to be based on a comprehensive consideration of the full range of factors that influence and are A Letter To Leadership influenced by the use of the resource. However, participants shared a view that all watersheds are The general conclusions cited above set the tone not the same—one approach does not fit all for definition of four areas that the Dialogue believed watersheds. The watershed should be the required action by political leaders. The group fundamental building block for program planning. recognized that a variety of programs, legislation, • Alignment and integration. Too many conflicting and initiatives were addressing some or part of many goals and mandates are being pursued at the of the current water challenges. However, it was

UCOWR 8 WATER RESOURCES UPDATE Perspectives on a National Water Policy concerned that, given the interrelationship among On behalf of the Dialogue participants, they asked the many uses of water, the issues were not being the President and Congress to: addressed as a whole across the Nation and that, when addressed, they were addressed on a reactive • Develop a National Water Vision. basis (post-drought and post-flood relief versus Where does the nation wish to be in 2020? advanced planning). We deal in watersheds at the Determine, in cooperation with the states local level, but we do not treat the Nation as a whole. and local governments, how the nation The Dialogue urged leadership at all levels of wants to deal with water, address competing government to deal with these issues and to formulate goals and objectives—social, environmental, policies and a vision that could guide efforts at all and economic—and establish broad priorities levels. On behalf of the Dialogue, the General Chair for resource expenditures. and the President of AWRA sent a letter to the • Formulate a National Water Policy that President of the United States, the Speaker of the translates the vision into action. This is not a House of Representatives, and the Senate Majority call for a federal water policy that directs Leader with copies to all governors. The letter noted the actions of federal, state, and local that “a failure to address . . . water resources issues governments. Rather, it is a call for a policy now, as we move into the 21st Century, could that defines the shared responsibilities at each significantly impact the economy; reduce our capacity level for dealing with water or the lack thereof to participate in global markets; increase legal and addresses how our citizens should adjust conflicts over rights and uses; reverse progress on to the realities of floods and droughts. cleaning up our rivers and restoring our natural areas; • Ensure coordination and collaboration among continue the escalation of flood damages; stalemate federal agencies and with other agencies at state, our ability to effectively manage water; increase our regional, and local levels; consider incentives for vulnerability to terrorism both at home and abroad; gaining cooperation to reach policy objectives and dramatically diminish our capacity to help prevent and connect water quality and water quantity violent conflict in the third world.” for a unified water policy. The letter went on to state, “During the 19th and • Deal with water issues on a holistic basis. Use 20th centuries, the management of our rivers has watersheds and basins as the setting for water been synonymous with building the Nation. It has resource projects and programs. brought major sections of the country out of poverty and now helps keep our natural systems and people Finally, the letter called on the Administration and healthy. Recent reviews of the condition of the Congress to, “. . . challenge the government agencies Nation’s water infrastructure paint a gloomy picture. under their authority to collaboratively create an The massive multi-trillion dollar investment that made “action agenda” to address the critical water our growth possible is at risk. Our Nation once led resources challenges facing the Nation and to create the world in water technology and management. such an agenda as soon as possible. . . . The time Today, our water expertise is dwindling and with it for action is now.” our capacity to help lead the world’s growing efforts to avert famine, drought and related humanitarian Whither A Policy? disasters—the breeding grounds of terrorism and violence. It has been over a quarter of a century In the more than a year since the Dialogue, there since the last comprehensive assessment of U.S. has been little movement towards development of a water needs. The federal guidance document for National Water Policy or Vision (or even increasing development of most water projects is nearly 20 the level of coordination among federal agencies). years old. Efforts to deal with water issues are met Both the Administration and Congress have been by a plethora of interest groups, a dozen committees focused on international issues, tax and health in Congress, numerous federal agencies, and concerns, and domestic politics. The administration programs that are narrowly focused and fail to has placed its environmental efforts in areas other recognize the interrelationship among water uses and than water. In January 2003, Congressman John the management of water.” Linder, who participated in the Dialogue, along with

WATER RESOURCES UPDATE 9 UCOWR Galloway

Representatives Calvert, Duncan and Shuster relationships is informing both colleagues in academe introduced House Resolution 135, “To establish the and the public. Extensions of this research taking “Twenty-First Century Water Commission” to study full advantage of new geospatial technologies cannot and develop recommendations for a comprehensive help but improve the quality of the decisions that water strategy to address future water needs.” The will be made in the years ahead. Geographers must initial sponsors have been joined by 21 other House not be shy but must be involved in this effort to members and the bill is now in committee. Thirty- develop a national water policy and vision. five other bills pertaining to water were introduced during the same session. Concluding Comments Speaking to the Dialogue, Senator Harry Reid indicated, “It is time for the federal government to The breadth of support for a Water Policy broaden its scope and provide a new clearly defined Dialogue is reflected in those who made possible its federal role in nationwide water resource policy.” conduct. Sponsors included the Army Corps of However, no action on water policy is pending in Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the the Senate. Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and In 1959, Charles E. Lindbloom wrote an article, Wildlife Service, the Federal Emergency The Science of Muddling Through, in which he Management Agency, the Forest Service, the U.S. posited that policy making is not a logical and rational Geological Survey, the National Ocean Service, the process but an incremental process that is National Weather Service, and the Natural opportunistic—it happens when it can happen. Resources Conservation Service. Co-sponsors were Progress is achieved through small incremental steps American Rivers, the Association of State Floodplain that can result in the appearance of a new public Managers, Beaver Wood Associates, the Delaware policy over time. Some might say that Lindbloom River Basin Commission, the Geological Society of was thinking of the water arena when he wrote the America, the Groundwater Foundation, the Interstate article. However, analysis of where we stand today Council on Water Policy, the Missouri River Basin would indicate that the myriad baby steps that have Association, the National Association of been taken in regulation and development of water Conservation Districts, the National Watershed have not produced, in the aggregate, a comprehensive Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation, the Ohio or visible policy. The nation needs a water policy River Basin Commission, the Ohio River Basin and a vision to guide its stewardship of this precious Sanitation Commission, the Red River Basin resource. Development of such policy will require Commission, the St. Johns River Water Management pointed action and not more muddling through. District, Sandia National Laboratories, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, the South Alabama The Role of Geography Regional Planning Commission, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, the Universities Council The pointed action required to develop a water on Water Resources, the Upper Mississippi River policy and vision will require effort at all levels of Basin Association, and Waterways Work! Special government and interest on the part of the public at note should be made of the work of Richard large. While government officials will do much to Engberg, AWRA, who chaired the Dialog Steering inform the debate, the academic community will play Committee and Dr. Mark Dunning, Institute of Water a major role in ensuring that the facts stay on the Resources, who prepared the conference summary. table and that thorough analysis supports any discussions. Because of geographers’ innate interest Author Information and understanding of both location and environment, they are in a position to foster the dialogue and GERALD E GALLOWAY, PE, PhD, is Vice President, Enterprise engage in research to enhance our knowledge of Engineering Group, ES3 Sector, Titan Corporation. He served the factors driving the use of water resources. On- as General Chairman of the Water Policy Dialogue. This paper is based on his remarks at the Dialogue, the Dialogue summary going research by geographers into land use, human and his presentation at the Association of American Geographers occupance of the floodplain and other hazard areas, Annual Meeting, March 2003. The views are those of the impacts of climate change and ecosystem author and do not necessarily represent the views of Titan Corporation or AWRA.

UCOWR 10 WATER RESOURCES UPDATE Perspectives on a National Water Policy

References

American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). 2002. America’s Ports: Gateways to Global Trade. http:// www.aapa-ports.org/industryinfo/americasports.htm. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 2001. 2001 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. http://www2.asce.org/ reportcard/pdf/2001reportcardreleasefinalwebl.pdf. American Water Resources Association (AWRA). 2002. Water Resources Policy Dialogue Compact Disk. Middleburg: AWRA. Larson, Larry and Doug Plasencia 2001. No Adverse Impact: A New Direction in Floodplain Management Policy. Association of State Flood Plain Managers. http:// www.floods.org/PDF/NAIjournal.pdf.

Lindbloom, C. (1959). The science of ‘muddling through’. Public Administration Review, 19(2), 79-88. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2000. Water Quality Conditions in the United States. http:// www.epa.gov/305b/98report/98summary.pdf. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2002a. “National Coastal Condition Report, Fact Sheet.” http://epa.gov/ owow/oceans/nccr/nccrfs.html. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2002b. Wetlands, Status and Trends. http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/ wetlands/vital/status.html. US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2002 Endangered Species Boxscore. http://ecos.fws.gov/tess/html/boxscore.html. US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Drought Information Center. 2003. Current Information. http://www.drought.noaa.gov/.

WATER RESOURCES UPDATE 11 UCOWR