Water is our most fundamental natural resource, a resource that is limited. Challenges to our nation's water resources continue to grow, driven by population growth, ecological needs, climate change, and other pressures. The nation needs more and improved water science and information to meet these challenges. Toward a Sustainable and Secure Water Future reviews the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Resource Discipline (WRD), one of the nation's foremost water science organizations. This book provides constructive advice to help the WRD meet the nation's water needs over the coming decades. Of interest primarily to the leadership of the USGS WRD, many findings and recommendations also target the USGS leadership and the Department of Interior (DOI), because their support is necessary for the WRD to respond to the water needs of the nation.

Rather than organizing topics around the traditional regulatory fields (air and water pollution, hazardous wastes, radiation, etc.), this book is structured around the choices we make as individuals and societies that result in environmental health hazards. The author details the hazards of energy production, industry, food production, and the modern lifestyle, while exploring our place within the local and global community.