Keywords

Agricultural prices, Irrigation water, Taxpaying, Irrigation, Subsidies, Farmlands, Market prices, Land ownership, Dams

Abstract

The Bureau of Reclamation recently announced that its prime mission since 1902-building dams to make the desert bloom in the American West-is pretty much complete. While never really admitting that its newer projects have been economically infeasible, Bureau management has at last recognized that the days of the big public water project are gone. The Bureau now plans to turn its attention and resources to other more pressing problems, such as helping other agencies with construction projects needed to cope with hazardous waste.

Original Publication Citation

Cutting the Loss from Federal Water Subsidies, (with Ray G. Huffaker), Choices, Fourth Quarter, 1988, pp.24-26.