The Return to the River Basin: The Increasing Costs of “Jurisdictional Externalities”

There is a long history of recognition of the river basin as the natural unit for river development, planning and management. In the U.S. and internationally, there is also a long history of breaking up river basins among many jurisdictions, most having nothing to do with water. At present because of the failure to focus development, planning and management on the river basin “jurisdictional externalities” are rising rapidly. Can we move back toward the river basin from the current splintered framework to achieve “win-win” improvements? It is suggested that “virtual river basins” can be created using current satellite technologies and through the extension of water markets to an interstate (if not international) basis.