WRRC Brown Bag - Navigating Water Policy in Uncertain Times: New vs. Old Paradigms

What does water security mean in the 21st century and how do we reconfigure water policy for a more sustainable future? Although drought and water scarcity have driven conflict throughout history, there are increasing efforts across the U.S. to bring a more collaborative and systems-based approach to water governance. This talk examines the current water policy landscape and the ways in which a clash of paradigms is playing out between the legacy systems of the past and the new paradigm solutions of the future. Case studies of several major water policy efforts at the national level--including legislation and regulatory efforts in the current and past Congress--provide a lens for examining how these tensions are reflected in federal policy making. This talk will also explore the frontier of water policy making in the U.S. and what that may look like going forward in a time of great political, social, and hydrologic change.