Abstract
Water resources activities in the United States have shifted from development to management with special attention to the environment. This trend can be interpreted as a paradigm shift from the traditional national economic development to multifaceted approach of balancing goals and sharing benefits and risks under legislative mandates and environmental constraints. The policy shift is explained in this paper by historical overview of water resources development and examining the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments, and private sector participation. The major environmental legislations were reviewed, and future directions in water resources management were discussed.
