Water resources law

At the time the code was written in ancient Mesopotamia, the civilizations in the surrounding lands were dependent on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to survive.

[4] As with property law, water rights can be described as a "bundle of sticks" containing multiple, separable activities that can have varying levels of regulation.

One theory of history, put forward in Karl August Wittfogel's book Oriental Despotism: A Comparative Study of Total Power, holds that many empires were organized around a central authority that controlled a population through monopolizing the water supply.

Water law involves controversy in some parts of the world where a growing population faces increasing competition over a limited natural supply.

Long-term issues in water law include the possible effects of global warming on rainfall patterns and evaporation; the availability and cost of desalination technology; the control of pollution; and the growth of aquaculture.

Federal jurisdiction is derived from the powers to regulate navigation and shipping, fisheries, and the governing of the northern territories, which has resulted in the passage of: Provincial jurisdiction is derived from the powers over property and civil rights, matters of a local and private nature, and management of Crown lands.

In the state of New South Wales, water laws are enforced by an independent regulatory body; the Natural Resources Access Regulator.

[9] Seventh program of Iranian government in 2023-22 ordered the preparing and deployment of a new the bureau of unified water resource administration system.

Some derives from common law principles which have developed over centuries, and which evolve as the nature of disputes presented to courts change.

[11] Private companies are obliged to publish annually a sizeable report providing a relevant amount of nationwide comparable data on costs, revenues, profits, and performance levels.

An independent regulatory authority of the water industry sector analyzes private companies outcomes and sets an allowed level of return which is not fixed and incentive-based.

The Code of Hammurabi, containing one of the earliest legal statutes related to water resources.