Technology, Society, and Water Management

Social and environmental goals and objectives are continually changing and are often difficult to quantify. Furthermore, they encompass both technologic and social dimensions, the latter being the most troublesome. The real challenge is that of finding the key to unlock the constraining influences of the myriad of institutions and social customs that must be reckoned with in attempting to efficiently manage this nation's water resources. A management mole that fits today's, not yesterday's, problems is needed. And while there have been some positive signs of progress along these lines, much remains to be done. To accomplish what is needed will require that we exercise our imaginative and innovative talents to the limit and that we break loose from historical constraints, whatever their form, and explore solutions in their actual context. The challenge is to exert technical expertise in a manner compatible with, yet constrained by, the broad and ever‐changing inclinations of society. No other approach can be expected to yield substantial gains.