About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

25 UCLA J. Envtl. L. & Pol'y 249 (2006-2007)
Water Transfers: The Case against Transbasin Diversions in the Eastern States

handle is hein.journals/uclalp25 and id is 253 raw text is: Water Transfers: The Case Against Transbasin Diversions in the Eastern States Christine A. Klein* ABSTRACT Water policy in the western states consistently has embraced a nineteenth century, supply-side mentality, requiring cities and other water providers to satisfy an ever-growing demand for water at virtually any cost. As a result, the western states rely upon thousands of engineered water transfers-even siphoning water from one side of mountain ranges to the other-in an un- sustainable attempt to support growth. This article challenges the conventional reliance upon transbasin diversions as a re- sponse to shortage. It argues that importing water from distant watersheds lulls growing communities into a false sense of secur- ity, subsidizes unsustainable growth, and exacts significant social, economic, and environmental costs. Although this article recog- nizes the infeasibility of reducing western reliance upon existing large-scale transfers, it offers an alternative paradigm for the eastern states, as many of them begin to face the limits of existing water supplies. This article argues that communities could achieve water independence by shifting to a demand-side model and by nourishing the living rivers essential to both human and natural ecosystems. I. INTRODUCTION: MOVING WATER TO THE PEOPLE .. 250 II. THE CONTEXT ...................................... 252 A. Transbasin Diversions Defined ................. 252 B. Water Markets Compared ...................... 254 C. Bottled Water Compared ....................... 257 III. THE CRITIQUE ...................................... 259 * Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Professor of Law, University of Florida, Levin College of Law. I would like to thank Ryan Baya and Jonathan Huels for their invaluable research assistance.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most