由于美国西部几乎没有水资源尚未开发，对水的新用途的需求不断增加，因此需要转移。尽管今天的西方水资源“自由市场”与其说是现实，不如说是理想，但私下协商的水资源转让的频率和数量正在增加。本文描述了不同市场形成的方式和原因，概述了几种类型市场的特征，解释了买家和卖家正在交易的水权类型，并报告了水权转让的销售、租赁、期权和协商安排的示例。包括2个参考文献、图表。

Because few water resources in the western portions of the United States remain undeveloped, increasing demand for new uses for water has created a need for transfers. Although today's "free market" for water in the West is more an ideal than a reality, privately negotiated water transfers are increasing in frequency and volume. This article describes how and why different markets are formed, outlines characteristics of several types of such markets, explains the types of water rights for which buyers and sellers are dealing, and reports examples of sales, lease, option, and negotiated arrangements for the transfer of water rights. Includes 2 references, figures.