While these accusations are still being sorted in traditional courts and the court of public opinion, it is clear that these types of conflicts will likely continue as available water resources decline.

FORBES: World Water Day 2013: Water as a Catalyst for Peace

This conference is another important step initiated by the International Centre on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (ICQHS) - a category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO - to collect and document traditional knowledge available on water resources management from around the globe while providing a forum for presenting new views on the topic.

UNESCO: Water Portal | Water Events Worldwide

Veolia Equipment, which has facilities in Louisiana, has offered to make its water management resources available.

CNN: Offers of aid from around the world

The index combines five measures: available resources, access to water, people's capacity to afford and organise water supplies, use of water for domestic, industrial and environmental purposes, and environmental management.

ECONOMIST: Measure for measure | The

"We just learned about that today, and so I have directed that we have all available resources to get to that convention center to make sure that they have the food and water, the medical care that they need, " he said.

CNN: Military due to move in to New Orleans