WHAT'S HAPPENING TO WATER? — ROBINOVE 387 



These, then, are the six major water problems of the comitry. Much 

 is known about the natural regimen of water and about the effects of 

 man's use of water, but nevertheless we need to know a lot more. The 

 various water problems have been solved, in part and temporarily, in 

 many ways. Technology can aid in the avoidance or correction of 

 water problems ; dams have been built to regulate river flow to allevi- 

 ate floods, to provide water for consumptive use, and to furnish hydro- 

 electric power; and municipalities and industries treat their sewage to 

 prevent pollution. Water has been diverted hundreds of miles, even 

 across the Continental Divide, to areas where natural water supplies 

 are inadequate. But what will happen to water in the long rmi? 

 How can we as a Nation use our water supplies wisely and with the 

 greatest benefit ? 



CAN WE SOLVE OUR WATER PROBLEMS? 



The solution or avoidance of water problems can be achieved only 

 through sufficient knowledge of basic hydrologic processes, adequate 

 basic facts on water occurrence throughout the Nation, and experience 

 in dealing with water problems. 



An understanding of the physical and chemical regimen of water 

 is a prerequisite to the proper use of water and the correction or allevi- 

 ation of water problems. The expression "balance of nature" is often 

 used in the field of natural history and conservation to refer to the 

 relations of living organisms with each other and with their environ- 

 ment. By analogy this expression is also applicable to the hydrologic 

 environment when not affected by man. The amount of water in each 

 of the phases of the hydrologic cycle is relatively constant over long 

 periods of time of the order of thousands of years. For example, the 

 amount of water discharging from a ground-water reservoir is equal 

 to the amount of water entering the reservoir if no changes in the 

 system are made by man. 



Man's diversion and consumption of water upset the balance of the 

 hydrologic cycle. Readjustment may take generations or even thou- 

 sands of years. But the natural system must be thrown out of balance 

 in order to provide water for man's use. Man must have water, but 

 he must realize the consequences of water development in order to get 

 the greatest benefit from his use of water. 



There are three stages in the development of water resources of a 

 particular area, whether it is a small drainage basin or the entire 

 Nation. The first stage is use of the available water for needed pur- 

 poses without planning or anticipatmg future expansion of water 

 development and the consequent problems. 



The second stage begins when problems such as deficient supply or 

 pollution are seen to be serious. In this stage the problems are recog- 

 nized and data on the hydrologic system are collected and analyzed to 



