Conclusions

Abstract

Water management in arid and semiarid lands touches upon a wide variety of different technical, economic, political, governmental, and social issues. The challenge of developing a reliable and safe supply of water that meets the needs of societies is ever increasing because of a combination of population growth and, in some areas, increasing per capita demands associated with growing affluence. Superimposed on the trend of growing demands is the prospect of significant changes in water supply caused by global climate change.