Professional Documents
Culture Documents
We use water every day in ways people do not realize. Addressing current and future water
supply management is a major responsibility we all share. Responsible and sustainable
solutions require collaboration, creativity, flexibility and respect for the needs of diverse water
uses.
For example, - as has been the case for much of the past two decades junior water right holders
in Southern California are working within the existing water rights systems to purchase water
temporarily transferred from senior water right holders (mostly from agriculture) in other areas
of California. In very dry years, these transfers provide one tool that can help slake the thirst of
city dwellers while compensating farmers to forego using water.
California and the West need to manage water as if every year is a drought year. We need to
invest in storage facilities to capture water in wet years, we need to look to innovative
technology to enhance supplies and delivery, and we need to get the very most benefit from the
water we have available. The ability to measure, assess and show value for how that water is
used is incumbent on every water manager--environmental, urban and agricultural.
Only together can we in California and the West plan and prepare for our collective future. If we
don't we only ensure that the next drought will be worse than this one.
Robert Johnson is Executive Vice-President of the National Water Resources Association, a
nonpartisan, nonprofit federation which represents a diverse group of agricultural and
municipal water users and water providers from throughout the American West and portions of
the Southern United States.
Dan Keppen is Executive Director of the Family Farm Alliance, a non-profit grassroots
organization representing family farms, ranches, water purveyors and allied industries in the 17
Western states.
Tim Quinn is Executive Director of the Association of California Water Agencies, the largest
statewide coalition of public water agencies in the country, which collectively are responsible for
90% of the water delivered to cities, farms and businesses in California.