The Collision Of 19th Century Water Law, 20th Century Water Infrastructure And 21st Century Climate Change: Navigating The New Realities
Udall, Brad 1
1 Colorado Water Institute – Colorado State University
Water in the Western US is governed by water law derived from the early gold miners in the mid 19th century and is controlled by massive infrastructure built in the 20th century. Population growth and a vastly different hydrologic cycle due to climate change will stress both the legal and built environments. This talk will discuss how climate change will affect the water cycle including changes we are already experiencing, the limitations of existing water law and possible modifications, and the need to manage our infrastructure in new ways.