Many regions throughout the world are faced with increasing demands on increasingly scarce and variable water supplies. They are also exploring the role of water in addressing social problems related to population growth, economic prosperity, public health, environmental quality, and social justice.

This session shares the story of how investments in water management transformed the US American West, and how water policy has adapted to meet new demands and challenges over the past 150 years. It is based on Water in the US American West: 150 Years of Adaptive Strategies, a policy report prepared through a collaborative process that engage political leaders and water managers from throughout the region.

In addition to explaining the transformative story of water investments in the US American West, panel members will highlight strategies to (1) manage water as a scare resource; (2) protect river ecosystem values; (3) honor and restore indigenous water rights; (4) balance multiple and competing demands; (5) manage water across boundaries; and (6) implement new tools for water infrastructure financing.