The rule of law and the rule of water

Life in Egypt is dependent on water from the Nile, and historically has adjusted to the seasonal rhythm of the river’s flow. Egyptians have created cooperative institutions to make the best use of this water, and every so often they have passed laws spelling out the rights and duties of those involved in water. The question this paper addresses is the success of human efforts in Egypt to establish rules and laws to allocate the flow of water among different users and different uses. It examin..