A series of public opinion surveys was used to determine what demographic factors were most related to people's attitudes toward water resources use, to discover public attitudes toward various issues concerned with water resources use, and to test and compare methods of communicating knowledge about water resources problems. The results indicated that higher incomes, more years of formal education, younger age groups, and town residence were more associated with positive attitudes toward water resources use than other variables. A close relationship to farming was less favorably associated with positive attitudes toward water resources use than any other demographic factor. Attitudes were generally positive toward proper farming methods, small watershed development, pollution abatement, and to a lesser extent for recreational development. Informational sources pervaded by personal contact and inducing personal involvement were more closely associated with significant short-term attitude change than more impersonal informational sources such as newspapers.