"The chapter highlights the structure of the book, explains its approach and summarizes its main message. Increased water scarcity intensifies the tradeoffs inherent in allocating water to competing uses and turns the policy challenge of managing water resources ever more crucial. The book...

Chapter One: policy fragmentation -- Eras of survival and accommodation -- Chapter Two: dreams of reclamation -- Chapter Three: pressures to adapt -- Chapter Four: politics and the Colorado river -- Chapter Five: great projects and great controversies -- Part Two: era of competition -- Chapter...