The Structure of Federal Water Resources Policy Making

. Federal water resources programs and policies are often developed haphazardly in response to crises. Hence, they lack breadth, coordination, and comprehensiveness. Problems lie in the structure of the development process in which federal construction agencies play a major part. Having these agencies do the economic evaluations when development opportunity dwindles tempts them to compromise the accuracy and integrity of the evaluations. The problem is aggravated by intense pressure from local beneficiaries due to biased federal financing and reimbursement policies. Efforts by Congress to correct the situation are partially offset by entrenched agency thinking and practices. Rigorous enforcement of the National Environmental Policy Act and Council on Environmental Quality Interim Guidelines, revision of cost‐sharing formulae and financing and reimbursement policies, improved flexibility of agency leadership, recruitment of new talents and ideas to agency ranks, and adjustment of agency orientation are needed for comprehensive planning to achieve social goals.