Water Policy

An examination of the water policies of both the U.S. and Mexico in the Rio Grande region of the Southwestern United States, the Rio Grande/ Rio Bravo River Basins.

This paper examines the political, social, and economic concerns placed on the limited and precious water resources in the Rio Grande area. The paper discusses the concerns of both agriculturalists and city planners as each bid for the limited resources of water. It deals with different policy concerns and debates in the upper and lower basins.
“These coalitions recognize the fact that policies concerning the river basin and its inhabitants are often made by lawmakers in the National Capitals and not by those who understand the local issues and concerns. Interest groups such as these are currently working to increase intra-basin collaboration both on watershed and basin wide levels, and to create a complex water management strategy to help raise public awareness of issues as well as influence policy makers for strategy enactment.”