A new book entitled "The Great Lakes Water Wars" warns of coming conflict over Great Lakes water resources in an increasingly parched world.

"His premise is that an era of warring over the Great Lakes [search] is under way -- and will intensify as the global water shortage worsens. The lakes' future and the region's way of life hang in the balance as leaders grapple with the challenge of preserving what amounts to nearly one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water. The book comes nine months after representatives of the eight Great Lakes states signed a compact to ban most diversions of water outside the drainage basin, require each state to regulate water use and establish a regional standard for large-scale water withdrawals."