We have argued that it is time to think more creatively about shared problem-solving, providing clearer pathways for science to inform critical decisions. Over time, a patchwork of institutions has tackled each new issue as it arises, from salinity problems to Indigenous water rights to dam management. The governance patterns in this one basin mirror a broader U.S. trend of governing water in discrete, fragmented units. No single venue exists to manage water issues comprehensively. Decisions are made through a complex web of disjointed and piecemeal authorities and mechanisms. We have seen this play out close to home in the troubled Colorado River Basin. This has resulted in a maze of laws, policies and programs that work in isolation, or worse, in conflict with one another.
Its weakness is the connection with policy, which is confounded by our decentralized federal system of water governance. Water has been historically managed by sector - with agriculture, energy, food and quality all siloed into distinct government agencies at federal, state and even local levels. is well-funded and world-leading, it is less impactful than it could be. For example, the US Geological Survey (USGS) is a global innovator in monitoring, assessing and researching surface and subsurface water.Ī large suite of funding organizations nourishes our country’s water expertise, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ford Foundation, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and many others. The funding provided by these institutions covers virtually every aspect of water, including geology, hydrology, health, drought, use, administration and management. Our country has many water-research centers of excellence across the academic, public and private sectors developing cutting-edge science and technology. The good news is that there is no shortage of exceptional water-research capabilities in the United States. We therefore call for strengthening science-policy integration across all levels of decision-making - a major theme of the UN Water Conference. Good science and its effective integration with policy is critical to the necessary understanding to address complex, emergent water challenges.
Unprecedented drought, rising utility costs and inequities in water access are just some of the quandaries American communities and policymakers face.
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