6
1. In troduc tion
80% of the consumptive use of water in the United States, mostly in the
West, the development of new water facilities will be markedly influenced
by farm product prices and by future politics and is not easily predicted.
In less industrialized nations there is a similar interest in the development of water resources. In Colombia, for example, only 1.18% of potential
hydroelectric resources had been developed in 1950 [IBRD, 1952]. By
1968, however, the installed generating capacity had been increased eightfold [Colombia Information Service, 1969]. Projects of the size and sophistication of the California Water Plan are under way in the Departamento
del Choco and have been proposed for the Caquetd River Basin (part of
the Amazon Basin).
Some countries have less need to develop their water resources than
others. Although the supply of water in a given region may be adequate
now, however, the supply varies in time and place only within small limits
depending on the hydrological and meteorological conditions of the region.
The demand for water, on the other hand, is determined by population,
social customs, and the need to develop food and industrial production in
line with present and future population growth and economic requirements. The demand for water is everywhere on the increase and is thus
becoming increasingly difficult to satisfy. In northern countries bordering
on the polar region—with their high precipitation, numerous lakes and
rivers, and low density of population—there is no cause yet for concern,
except perhaps in a few centers such as large cities. Other countries, however, currently find themselves in dire straits with regard to the supply of
water, and naturally tend to have sophisticated planning and efficient organization with regard to future development. South Africa, Israel, and
Spain are typical examples.
Enormous capital investments are being made and contemplated for the
future for water resources projects of increasing size. Through 1966 the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) gave
$6 billion for projects that serve to provide adequate supplies and management of fresh water [IBRD, 1967]. In the same period the Inter-American
Development Bank [Carter et ah, 1967] lent one third of its resources for
water development projects. This trend will be continued in the next
decade, when $30.5 billion will be spent on worldwide dam construction
projects alone [McQuade, 1970].
Table 1.1 summarizes, by time periods, the additional facilities and
estimated initial facility construction costs for a typical large river system,
the Ohio. Category A in the table shows the primary areas of water resource development for stream flow control and in-place use for flood
control, water supply, stream quality control, navigation, and hydroelectric
1. In troduc tion
80% of the consumptive use of water in the United States, mostly in the
West, the development of new water facilities will be markedly influenced
by farm product prices and by future politics and is not easily predicted.
In less industrialized nations there is a similar interest in the development of water resources. In Colombia, for example, only 1.18% of potential
hydroelectric resources had been developed in 1950 [IBRD, 1952]. By
1968, however, the installed generating capacity had been increased eightfold [Colombia Information Service, 1969]. Projects of the size and sophistication of the California Water Plan are under way in the Departamento
del Choco and have been proposed for the Caquetd River Basin (part of
the Amazon Basin).
Some countries have less need to develop their water resources than
others. Although the supply of water in a given region may be adequate
now, however, the supply varies in time and place only within small limits
depending on the hydrological and meteorological conditions of the region.
The demand for water, on the other hand, is determined by population,
social customs, and the need to develop food and industrial production in
line with present and future population growth and economic requirements. The demand for water is everywhere on the increase and is thus
becoming increasingly difficult to satisfy. In northern countries bordering
on the polar region—with their high precipitation, numerous lakes and
rivers, and low density of population—there is no cause yet for concern,
except perhaps in a few centers such as large cities. Other countries, however, currently find themselves in dire straits with regard to the supply of
water, and naturally tend to have sophisticated planning and efficient organization with regard to future development. South Africa, Israel, and
Spain are typical examples.
Enormous capital investments are being made and contemplated for the
future for water resources projects of increasing size. Through 1966 the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) gave
$6 billion for projects that serve to provide adequate supplies and management of fresh water [IBRD, 1967]. In the same period the Inter-American
Development Bank [Carter et ah, 1967] lent one third of its resources for
water development projects. This trend will be continued in the next
decade, when $30.5 billion will be spent on worldwide dam construction
projects alone [McQuade, 1970].
Table 1.1 summarizes, by time periods, the additional facilities and
estimated initial facility construction costs for a typical large river system,
the Ohio. Category A in the table shows the primary areas of water resource development for stream flow control and in-place use for flood
control, water supply, stream quality control, navigation, and hydroelectric