History is catching up to the nearly inert bulk of federal water programs. Federal budgets, climate change, urban growth, environmental priorities and just our overall sense of the contract between government and society -- these are all changing in ways that cast very unflattering light on many features the traditional model of the federal water program. Even if we concern with protecting traditional irrigated agriculture, we have to be uncomfortable with Dan's explanation of how "junior" agricultural water rights holders in California have used their political influence over federal water programs to shrink supplies for "senior" agricultural rights holders with less clout in Washington and
History is catching up to the nearly inert bulk of federal water programs. Federal budgets, climate change, urban growth, environmental priorities and just our overall sense of the contract between government and society -- these are all changing in ways that cast very unflattering light on many features the traditional model of the federal water program. Even if we concern with protecting traditional irrigated agriculture, we have to be uncomfortable with Dan's explanation of how "junior" agricultural water rights holders in California have used their political influence over federal water programs to shrink supplies for "senior" agricultural rights holders with less clout in Washington and