'Deadbeat Dams' Author Calls For Abolishing Water Bureaucracy

By Mónica Ortiz Uribe
November 27, 2015
Dan
Courtesey of Dan Beard
Dan Beard, a former chief of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, is the author of the book "Deadbeat Dams."

A former chief of the U.S Bureau of Reclamation is advocating for the removal of that agency, which has built dams across the nation for more than a century.

Dan Beard says tens of thousands of federally built dams nationwide are outdated and environmentally damaging. In his book, "Deadbeat Dams," he calls for demolishing Arizona's Glen Canyon Dam and transforming the way we manage water in the West.

"There's greater competition for less and less water," Beard said. "We need to make some fundamental changes in the way that we think about water, the way we pay for it and the way we use it."

He said that includes ending water subsidies for farmers and increasing water conservation and reuse in urban areas.

Beard has worked on water policy for 40 years, including as staff director for the Subcommittee on Water and Power in the U.S. House of Representatives. He recently wrapped up a book tour in the Southwest.