Legal Aspects of Water Supply and Water Quality Storage

摘要

Enabling legislation for storage of water in federal reservoirs for supply purposes and quality control through low-flow augmentation includes the Water Supply Act of 1958, the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, and the 1961 Amendment to the Water Pollution Control Act. The enabling legislation makes water supply and water quality storage somewhat dependent on state water law. The impact of state law varies according to whether water rights are acquired by the United States or by a private party. State law also affects the use of a natural channel as a conduit because it defines the rights of others to use this water after it is released from storage. A liberal policy of permitting others to use the stored water would have the potential effect of diminishing the benefits to the water supply or water quality storer. (WRSIC abstract)