Premium
Politics and organization in water resource administration: A comparative study of decisions
Author(s) -
Munger Frank,
Houghton Anne
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr001i003p00337
Subject(s) - politics , public administration , state (computer science) , administration (probate law) , government (linguistics) , vitality , variety (cybernetics) , control (management) , flood control , local government , business , resource (disambiguation) , political science , environmental planning , flood myth , economics , geography , management , law , linguistics , philosophy , theology , archaeology , algorithm , artificial intelligence , computer science , computer network
Organizational arrangements for the exercise of controls over surface water flows have taken a wide variety of forms. Political considerations have largely determined the choices between alternatives of private versus public development, state or local versus federal development, and the selection among alternative federal development agencies. Because of variations in the effectiveness of political forces through time and space, the development pattern in almost every major river valley is distinctive to itself. An analysis of control arrangements in a sample of 145 reservoirs indicates that public enterprise has almost entirely replaced private in current developments but that both state and federal water agencies show continuing vitality. The distinctions among levels of governmental control are closely related to the functions performed, with local governments most active in the provision of water supplies; special districts in reimbursable functions; state agencies in nonreimbursable functions; and the federal government in projects including flood‐control (and navigation) benefits.