Surface Water: A Critical Resource of the Great Plains

The Great Plains is an area dominated by grassland, cropland, and major river systems that drain the nation's heartland. The hydrologic setting of the area provides a factual foundation for potential water policy and management priorities of surface water resources.
This chapter provides technical background necessary for discussion of water resources policy issues within the Great Plains. The discussions, hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are summarized by state and local water resources representatives as a series of recommendations for water policy priorities and were presented to governors of the Great Plains states.