num_pages: 354
description: Water—or the lack of it— has shaped the contours of the American West and continues to dominate the region's development. From the incursions of the Spanish conquistadores to the dams of the New Deal era, humans have sought water in these arid lands as the key to survival and success. And as the West becomes more urbanized, water is an issue as never before. This book sets contemporary and often bitter debates over water in their historical contexts by examining some of the most contentious issues that have confronted the region over five centuries.Seventeen contributors—representing history, geography, ethnography, political science, law, and urban studies—provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the many dimensions of water in the Spanish colonial water law, Native American water rights, agricultural concerns, and dam building. A concluding essay looks toward the future by examining the impact of cities on water and of water marketing on the western economy.As farmers and ranchers from Kansas to California compete for water with powerful urban economies, the West will continue to be reshaped by this scarce and precious resource. Fluid Arguments clearly shows that many of the current disputes over water take place without a real appreciation for the long history of the debate. By shedding new light on how water allocation is established—and who controls it—this book makes a vital contribution to our understanding of water and growth in the region.CONTENTSDivining the An Introduction / Char MillerPart 1. Land and Water on New Spain’s Frontiers1. "Only Fit for Raising Stock": Spanish and Mexican Land and Water Rights in the Tamaulipan Cession / Jesús F. de la Teja2. Water, the Gila River Pimas, and the Arrival of the Spanish / Shelly C. Dudley3. "Between This River and That": Establishing Water Rights in the Chama Basin of New Mexico / Sandra K. Mathews-LambPart 2. The Native American Struggle for Water4. Maggot Creek and Other Kiowa Identity and Water, 1870-1920 / Bonnie Lynn-Sherow5. The Dilemmas of Indian Water Policy, 1887-1928 / Donald J. Pisani6. First in Tribal Reserved Water Rights and General Adjudications in New Mexico / Alan S. Newell7. Winters Comes Home to Roost / Daniel McCoolPart 3. Agricultural Conundrums8. Water, Sun, and The Chisholm Trail as an Ephemeral Ecosystem / James E. Sherow9. Private Irrigation in Colorado’s Grand Valley / Brad F. Raley10. A Rio Grande "Brew": Agriculture, Industry, and Water Quality in the Lower Rio Grande Valley / John P. Tiefenbacher11. Specialization and Diversification in the Agricultural System of Southwestern Kansas, 1887-1980 / Thomas C. Schafer12. John Wesley Powell Was Resizing the Ogallala High Plains / John OpiePart 4. Dam those Waters!13. Private Initiative, Public Ed Fletcher, the Santa Fe Railway, and Phoenix’s Cave Creek Flood Control Dam / Donald C. Jackson14. The Changing Fortunes of the Big Dam Era in the American West / Mark Harvey15. Building Dams and Damning People in the Texas-Mexico Border Mexico’s El Cuchillo Dam Project / Raúl M. SánchezPart 5. The Coming Fight16. Water and the Western Service A New Challenge / Hal K. Rothman
language: English
title: Fluid Arguments: Five Centuries of Western Water Conflict
titlecomplete: Fluid Arguments: Five Centuries of Western Water Conflict
ratings_count: 2
publisher: University of Arizona Press