Abstract

Water has always been the key element of human development, quality of life, and transportation in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). While seemingly abundant when irrigation was first developed in the 19th century, in recent years conflicts have developed over the use of water for irrigation, hydroelectric production, navigation, fish, recreation, and other purposes. Most PNW rivers have been over-allocated, leading to severe conflict in times of drought, which may be exacerbated by the effects of climate change. In the PNW, water is managed by an array of Federal, State, and non-governmental entities, each with its own perspective and mission. The authors discuss the relative merits of solutions based on supporting market mechanisms through improved definitions of water rights on the one hand and authoritative mandates on the other as alternative institutional approaches to effective reallocation of water among uses and users.