I want you to think more in terms of how engineers and economic strategies have already attempted to manage the rerouting of water in some particular time period. You could explore the reasons for success or lack thereof in some particular period of time. This kind of investigation will, inevitably, carry some implications for the present, but I want you to focus on a particular time period/event/person so that you can really make a compelling argument. 
For next steps, think about which particular event you want to cover. Is it the construciton of the aqueduct by mulholland? That is a great topic. For a secondary source on that, you should read chapter 4 in the book “The Great Thirst” by Hundley. The main thing here is to thin about this paper as less a prescription for the solution of the water problem and more a description of what’s wrong with it. (First step ahd hardest task for a doctor is to diagnose the problem.)
Primary Source: Mulholland and Lipinclott Los Angeles Aqueduct
Secondary source: Mark Arax, The Dreamt Land
Rubric:
I will
grade your essay on three separate categories—content, argumentation, and
clarity. Each adds up to third of the total.
Content – Your essay should deploy
evidence from the course to make your point.
A – draws
from a large body of evidence and effectively integrates evidence into argument
B – draws
effectively from a small body of evidence but integrates evidence into argument
C –
deploys only a small amount of evidence argument / evidence is factually
incorrect / reflects major misunderstanding of events
D –
Evidence is lacking and false
Argumentation
– Your essay
should make a strong argument and your paragraphs should drive toward that
point
A –
Argument is clear, and your organization effectively conveys the subpoints of
the argument
B –
Argument is clear, but paragraphs are too long and topic sentences do not drive
the argument forward.
C –
Argument does not engage the prompt or paragraphs seem to support an argument
that the author is not making.
D –
Argument is missing.
Clarity
– Your sentences
should be clearly written. Shorter is generally better. If they are long, they
need to be tidy. For long sentences, parallelism is your friend.
A –
Sentences are clear and effective.
B –
Sentences need some more editing but are otherwise effective.
C –
Sentences regularly require rereading / deep reading / calling in the
philologists to interpret.
D –
Sentences are not sentences at all but fragments and run-ons.