The United States' population rose from approximately 76 million people in 1900 to about 250 million in 1990. Urbanization, mechanization of daily life, expansion of leisure time, added income and increasing water demands are all part of this pattern of growth. Regional deficiencies now limit water and constrain growth in several large sections of the United states. For example, in the High Plains Region groundwater is being withdrawn much faster from the Ohallala Aquifer than it is naturally replenished, a practice which cannot continue indefinitely. Californians have recently been forced to conserve water to cope with a severe drought of several years' duration.
Water quality is a pervasive problem nationwide.
Many other countries share the water problems which confront our nation, but in these counties the problems are often more acute. Serious public health problems exist throughout the world, and lack of water severely threatens food production. The solutions to these problems demand rained specialists and skilled technicians with water resources expertise in earth and life sciences, humanities, law, or administration.