Water for New York: A Study in State Administration of Water Resoures (New York State Series)

Water for New York is the first study of the manner in which New York State administers its water resources. New York has enough water in the aggregate to meet all reasonable needs , the author finds. However, the generous water resources are not always present when and where they are needed. The central problem confronting New York, therefore, is one of proper management of the water available, not one of amount.

The functioning of State agencies in actual operating situations is analyzed in four case studies, against the general background presented in the opening chapters. The picture of water-resource administration which emerges from this analysis is not reassuring. New York State supports a number of water programs on which a good deal of money is spent annually. Responsibility for their administration, however, is spread among as many as 25 agencies whose structure and functioning relation ships are far from satisfactory.

Recommendations for steps to improve water-resource administration in New York State, with which the book concludes, merit thoughtful consideration by all those concerned with the problems of effective governmental
management of water resources.