A presidential advisory panel says the government and private sector need better data to make sound decisions about water resources. A report by a subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council, a cabinet-level council, says a lack of data about fresh water makes it impossible to adequately address increasing demands for water.

The report recommends the creation of water resource regions for consolidating and evaluating existing data, improving on existing science and technology regarding water knowledge, and a better understanding of behavioral determinants of water use.

The report by the Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality is meant as a starting point for interagency discussions.

Visit www.ostp.gov for more information.