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Show Federal-State Water Problems Though conflicts do exist, Federal and state laws applying to water resource planning and development have been largely complementary. Tensions have developed, however, in the area of water law. Though historically the administration of water rights has been left largely to the states, there are a number of provisions under Federal consti- tutional powers that have placed the state administration of water rights in. jeopardy. A recent concern is the Federal grouping of water uses on Indian reservations, national forests, etc., under the category of "reserved water rights." The theory is that when the Federal Governmen*t creates a land reservation in the arid West, it reserves such amounts of unappropriated water as might be necessary to utilize the land for the purposes intended. As these rights are not quantified, this theory creates an uncertainty, making it impossible for the states to integrate them with private rights. This uncertainty as to the amounts of remaining water available for development is detrimental to water resource planning. State Institutions A major problem of the states is the multiplicity of organizations involved "with water resources. These organizations are often overlap- ping and -unrelated. A centralization of responsibility within the states fox matters dealing with water resources is needed. State Water Law State laws prescribing the steps to perfecting a water right appro- priation -usually include: (l) a notice of intent or an application to appropria-te water; (2) the building of works necessary to divert or impound water; and (3) the application of the water to a beneficial use. The priority of the state water right is then based on the rule of "First in time is first in right." However, laws of the various states dizffer as to (l) what may be defined as a beneficial use; (2) what priority or preference may be applied to different uses; (3) the amount of water per acre that may be allowed under an irriga- tion appropriation; and (k) procedures for acquisition of rights. Considera-tion should be given as to whether greater uniformity between water lavs of the various states would be desirable, and how this could be achieved. Environmental Considerations The :field of water resources has previously been oriented toward resource development as evaluated in rather narrow terms of economic efficiency. Recently, environmental concepts have been widely recog- nized by -the public. The provisions of Public Law 91-190, National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 > will have an effect on Federal water |