Water Rights And Water Controversy In California Of USA

Since the20th century, the economy of Western America develops so fast, populationexplosion and water-supply tensions, has caused a lot of water controversies. Then what is themain cause of water controversies? How does it happen? What is the process of its happening?Who are the related interest bodies of water controversies? How did these interest bodies overwater resources spread the game? What is the result and influence of the game? What will wethink about this phenomenon? Take these questions as a starting point, under the guidance ofSamuel Hays’ theory of political history research, this article takes the case of watercontroversy in Western America as analysis, presenting the right relations and profitdistribution in the process of public resources development usage, exploring the legal basisfor the water controversy problem solving and the internal operation mechanism on the levelof policy implementation, revealing the dual effects of water controversy on the ecology andsociety, so as to offer the reference to the similar problem solving in China.Early water controversy in the Western America was reflected in the dispute betweenriparian rights and priorities from the conception of public resources property rights. InCalifornia, for example, as mining activities (gold washing) going on, priority right toexclusive use (Prior Appropriation Doctrine) developed gradually, and it took the place of theriparian rights(Riparian Doctrine) derived from English common law.The change of the understanding of property rights reflects and affects the development ofCalifornia and the allocation of water resources. In the process of western agriculturaldevelopment, the capitalists grab land to sublease it to peasants or immigrate. In view of thearid and semi-arid climate in California, agricultural work can’t be continued withoutirrigation. By occupying the irrigation resources, capitalists can exploit the peasants once andfor all. Capitalists turn to despoil the irrigation rights. The so-called riparian rights andpriority is nothing but the tool for capitalists to grab interests. The result of water controversyis the reconciliation between the capitalists, agreeing on exploitation of farmers. Farmers inCalifornia who want to reform arid state by irrigation are at last on the heavy chains.In early California, water controversies reflect the water resources allocation problemcaused by agricultural irrigation. Water controversy of Owens Valley in Los Angeles in1920was the struggle for the allocation of water resources between cities and suburbs caused by the development of industrialization and urbanization. Due to the restriction caused by theshortage of water, the city government of the industrial city-Los Angeles, decided to bring inthe water of Owens valley to overcome the problems. By deception, Los Angeles-OwensAqueduct was built, and Los Angeles develops continuously, while the environment in Owensvalley is degraded, with the living conditions of indigenous people threatened. Los Angelesneeded to develop, Owens Valley need to exist, and then the two parts launched a long-termstruggle for water. Ultimately, Watson brothers who represent the interests of the Owensvalley collapsed, the city gained the initiative, but the collapse of San Francisco dam drew thewater controversy to end.The allocation and use of water resources in Western America involve complex relations,and it has complex effects on the natural environment and society, in the meantime, it reflectsthe operation mechanism and the system evolution of American society, which is the politicalecology of America. Summarizing the experience and lessons, handling the contradictionbetween development and resources correctly, prompting the virtuous circle of the naturalecology and economic society can help people to understand the essence of natural ecologycivilization correctly, so as to promote our country’s ecological civilization construction.