Planning, Policy and Design 139: Water Resource Policy, UC Irvine OpenCourseWare

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University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697,

The purpose of this course is to illuminate how water is a political, social, economic, and environmental challenge and to suggest ways we might manage it better and more equitably. You will be provided basic knowledge about physical aspects of water supply and quality; the evolution of water policy throughout history - and in different societies; the importance of water to human and ecological health; the role of law, politics, and markets in its allocation, regulation, and protection; and, the importance of ethics to its equitable provision. The focus of this course is competition for water, and the impacts of this competition on available supply and quality - from a global perspective. Disputes over water are not limited to less developed countries. Such conflicts are growing across the U.S., especially in the West, and in California – where water management has long been a focal point of contention.