An historical geography of Idaho water: A legal ecological approach

This study examines the human-environment relationship with respect to water in the settlement of Idaho 1863-1993. The role of water in settlement and the role of law in resolving water conflicts are key to understanding immigration, spatial patterns of population, and perception of the environment in Idaho. The results of the study indicate that an Idaho water ethic developed through two-way interaction between water law and the water environment. By applying a legal-ecological model the study defines and explains eras of water ethics. The study suggests traditional interpretations of Idaho water law development are overly simplistic because they do not incorporate the dynamic of human-environment interaction through time. While acknowledging the influence of neighboring states and the federal government on the evolution of Idaho's water ethic, the study indicates Idaho developed a unique set of human-environment relationships because of its particular physical and human geography and legal resolution of water conflicts. It also suggests that despite recent attempts by Idaho's legislature and courts, Idaho is unlikely to achieve a final solution because the processes of interpretation of the water environment continually evolve.