Future urban water supply reliability will be complicated by global climate change and expected population increases in urban areas through the Western United States. In the West, water supply managers seek increased resiliency and flexibility in municipal and industrial water supplies, decreased vulnerability to drought conditions and avoidance of conflict and litigation when providing water resources to urban populations. Historical and current legal and policy regimes condition options available to those engaging in pragmatic risk management.

The Federal Bureau of Reclamation controls more water than any other individual or organization in the West, supplying the bulk of that water for irrigated agriculture. Voluntary transfers of Reclamation supplied water are a useful tool in ensuring urban water supply resilience while encouraging water conservation by agricultural interests. Marketing of Reclamation water should be facilitated before increased urban population growth and global climate change converge to create a water supply crisis.