Water Resources Planning—Historical Development

Water resources planning in the United States had its origin in efforts to improve waterways for navigation. Early planning was accomplished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in connection with the construction of projects. Growth and development of the country led to a proliferation of government agencies involved in water resources, and the planning process gradually increased in complexity. The New Deal in the 1930's resulted in increasing centralization of planning, but in the 1960's an effort was made to regionalize the planning process. Various committees and commissions have made recommendations for improvement of the planning process, and the planning techniques continue to evolve. The point has now been reached where many years of planning are required before a project can be developed to meet a perceived demand for water or water-related services.