Hal Crimmel has brought the findings of science together with the experienced voices of environmental social scientists, humanists, and activists to provide perspective on Utah water issues. The matters discussed are relevant beyond this one state, as similar conditions and concerns, especially over supply and demand in the face of demographic and climate change, exist throughout the West. Some of the essays are scientific and analytical; others literary and personal. Together they draw attention to problems that Utah residents and policy makers must address but also emphasize ways to build solutions. Desert Water will help citizens, policy makers, and anyone interested in Utah’s water supply and use—as everyone in the state should be—understand the real challengesand ethicsinvolved in managing this vital, finite resource. By awareness, these essays should create a sense of urgency for finding workable solutions. 

Hal Crimmel is Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of English at Weber State University. He is author of Dinosaur: Four Seasons on the Green and Yampa Rivers, editor of Teaching in the Field: Working with Students in the Outdoor Classroom (University of Utah Press, 2003), and coeditor of Teaching About Place: Learning from the Land.