A new competitor for the West's scarce water

Abstract

Environmental factors have become key considerations in the scramble for scarce water supplies in the western U.S., alongside traditional users such as agriculture, municipalities, and industry. “In the last few years, the environmental demand for water for wildlife maintenance, fisheries, and water quality has been strengthened by a series of court rulings, legal interpretations, and societal pressure reflecting a renewed commitment to environmental quality,” according to David Brookshire, economist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.