2
I.
Introduction
plans do not necessarily cover all aspects of water utilization; some aspects
are and will remain of no interest to certain countries, and hence one or
more phases of planning cannot help but be subordinated to others that
are more vital. Thus, plans in Japan are designated as comprehensive even
if they relate only to river flow control, irrigation, drinking and industrial
water, and hydroelectric energy. Planning for the entire field of water resources is most evident in those countries where dense populations and advanced industrial development prevent a balance of water use from being
maintained now or in the near future in many of their river basins or
regions.
If we look at a highly developed industrial country such as the United
States, we find a correspondingly sophisticated development of its water
resources. Water is used for (1) irrigation projects to provide food for an
expanding population and reduce the need for imports, (2) navigation
projects to improve the transportation network, (3) public-health projects to reduce or eliminate the incidence of water-borne diseases and improve the physical well-being of the population, and (4) hydroelectric
energy projects to provide a cheap, renewable source of energy for an expanding industrial sector. In the arid western states the need for water for
agricultural purposes has always exceeded the rainfall supply; the rapid
depletion of ground-water supplies has animated the debate about the
"shortage" of present water resources in these areas to meet future agricultural demands. Rather complex schemes have been proposed to transfer
excess water to the areas of water shortage.
California, for example, is building an aqueduct to transfer water from
the northern part of the state to the water-short southern part [California State Water Resources Board, 1957].J Texas has proposed the construction of a huge network of canals and reservoirs to transfer approximately 12 million acre-ft from East Texas and the Mississippi River Basin
to the High Plains of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico [Texas Water
Development Board, 1968] as shown in Figs. 1.1 and 1.2. Furthermore,
a proposal has been made to divert and transfer waters that now flow into
the northern Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and Hudson Bay to the
water-short areas of Canada, the United States, and Mexico [Parsons,
1964].
Projection of future water demands in the United States can be broken
down for convenience into urban, industrial, and agricultural demands.
Howe [1971], in predicting urban water demands, examined residential,
commercial, industrial, and public uses of water, technological develop% References will be found at the end of the book. Supplementary readings, divided
by chapter, are also listed there.
I.
Introduction
plans do not necessarily cover all aspects of water utilization; some aspects
are and will remain of no interest to certain countries, and hence one or
more phases of planning cannot help but be subordinated to others that
are more vital. Thus, plans in Japan are designated as comprehensive even
if they relate only to river flow control, irrigation, drinking and industrial
water, and hydroelectric energy. Planning for the entire field of water resources is most evident in those countries where dense populations and advanced industrial development prevent a balance of water use from being
maintained now or in the near future in many of their river basins or
regions.
If we look at a highly developed industrial country such as the United
States, we find a correspondingly sophisticated development of its water
resources. Water is used for (1) irrigation projects to provide food for an
expanding population and reduce the need for imports, (2) navigation
projects to improve the transportation network, (3) public-health projects to reduce or eliminate the incidence of water-borne diseases and improve the physical well-being of the population, and (4) hydroelectric
energy projects to provide a cheap, renewable source of energy for an expanding industrial sector. In the arid western states the need for water for
agricultural purposes has always exceeded the rainfall supply; the rapid
depletion of ground-water supplies has animated the debate about the
"shortage" of present water resources in these areas to meet future agricultural demands. Rather complex schemes have been proposed to transfer
excess water to the areas of water shortage.
California, for example, is building an aqueduct to transfer water from
the northern part of the state to the water-short southern part [California State Water Resources Board, 1957].J Texas has proposed the construction of a huge network of canals and reservoirs to transfer approximately 12 million acre-ft from East Texas and the Mississippi River Basin
to the High Plains of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico [Texas Water
Development Board, 1968] as shown in Figs. 1.1 and 1.2. Furthermore,
a proposal has been made to divert and transfer waters that now flow into
the northern Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and Hudson Bay to the
water-short areas of Canada, the United States, and Mexico [Parsons,
1964].
Projection of future water demands in the United States can be broken
down for convenience into urban, industrial, and agricultural demands.
Howe [1971], in predicting urban water demands, examined residential,
commercial, industrial, and public uses of water, technological develop% References will be found at the end of the book. Supplementary readings, divided
by chapter, are also listed there.