THIS STATE-OF-THE ART REVIEW OF THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF WATER USER ASSOCIATIONS GIVES A PRAGMATIC DESCRIPTION OF THE TYPES OF ASSOCIATIONS THAT EXIST IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. IT IS INTENDED TO ASSIST AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS BY PROMOTING THE USE OF MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE ORGANIZATION SCHEMES, TOGETHER WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF INTERMEDIATE TECHNOLOGIES AND IMPROVED WATER USE PRACTICES. IT FOCUSES ON THE FORMS OF WATER USER ASSOCIATIONS AND THEIR ATTRIBUTES FOR INDUCING AND ACHIEVING MORE EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE WATER AND RELATED AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE USE. IN ORDER TO EXAMINE THE KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONAL ALTERNATIVES FOR WATER USER ASSOCIATIONS, THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEVERAL COUNTRIES WERE SUBJECTED TO ANALYSIS. GUIDELINES ARE GIVEN FOR THE SELECTION AND FORMATION OF THE TYPE BEST SUITED TO ACHIEVE IMPROVED WATER MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT. EXISTING POLICIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONSIDERED. THESE GUIDELINES COVER A BROAD RANGE OF FACTORS, AND THEY PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION, RATHER THAN A SOLUTION TO EACH PARTICULAR PROBLEM.