The protection, development, and efficient management of water resources for beneficial purposes. Water's physical and chemical properties make it essential to life and civilization. It is combined with carbon dioxide by green plants in the synthesis of carbohydrates, from which all other foods are formed. It is a highly efficient medium for dissolving and transporting nutrients through the soil and throughout the bodies of plants and animals. It can also carry deadly organisms and toxic wastes. Water is a raw material that is indispensable for many domestic and industrial purposes.