Using Water Banks to Promote More Flexible Water Use

摘要

This report provides a detailed assessment of water banks. Chapter Two of thisreport contains evaluations of the major water banks operating in the West today. It continues with descriptions of two newly proposed banks and discusses other bank-like activities in several other states. Chapter Three provides a thorough discussion of the use of groundwater recharge to bank water for future use. The chapter begins with a survey of state laws governing groundwater recharge. Chapter Four contains a largely economic analysis of water bank design. It considers fundamental factors in developing a water allocation system and then turns to a focused consideration of water banks, referencing back to water bank features identified in the earlier chapters. Special attention is given to the issue of the third party effects in water bank transfers. Finally a recommended general framework for designing and operating a water bank is proposed. Chapter Five applies the authors recommended framework to an evaluation of three proposed water banks. Chapter Six summarizes the findings from the study and restates the case for broader use of water banks in the West.