Water is power. The power to make the desert bloom. The power to create civilizations.The power to move products to distant markets. The power to industrialize economies.The power to create life. The power to destroy life.We; dam owners, consultants, and regulators, are the current stewards of a large segmentof the world’s water resource infrastructure. Stewardship is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as:The conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: thecareful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.We are entrusted with the current responsibility for the operation of facilities that harnessthe power of water and make it available to provide varied benefits to society: domestic,industrial and agricultural water, flood control, hydroelectric power, navigation,recreational opportunities, and environmental enhancement. These same facilities alsohave a cost: monetary, risk of loss of life and property, displacement of populations andenvironmental degradation.This paper explores the author’s thoughts on what it means to be a steward of waterresource infrastructure.
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