From InsideClimateNews.org (Robert Krier):
“The nation lacks a coherent approach to dealing with water,” said Gerald Galloway, a civil engineer, hydrology expert and former president of the American Water Resources Association. “Everyone is just hoping it will get better. Hope is not a method.” The nation’s hydrologic future has become increasingly uncertain because of climate change, he believes, and that uncertainty is making planning and decision making difficult at a time when both are desperately needed.
What the nation has had for many years, Galloway says, is an ad hoc, piecemeal and dysfunctional system for dealing with water issues.
There is no overarching authority, or policy, to look at the broad picture and go beyond the problem de jour, deal with the mounting water conflicts, keep track of resources and scientific data, and address the needs of a crumbling infrastructure.
Instead, there’s a disjointed mishmash of dozens of federal agencies, state, tribal and private interests, often with overlapping authority and veto power, that results in inertia.
The odds that politicians will tackle the issue, despite polls showing the public is very concerned about water supply and quality, appear slim.
