Water Resources: Science and Society

Water Resources: Science and Society

<p>The fair allocation and wise use of fresh water presents significant challenges across the world. To avoid unresolvable crises in the future, judiciously managing water resources in the twenty-first century is fundamentally important. Integrating the underlying science of hydrology with real-world usage scenarios, <i>Water Resources</i> offers a nuanced, modern treatment of contemporary water resource management issues.</p><p>In this ground-breaking new text, renowned environmental scientist and educator George M. Hornberger and award-winning environmental engineer Debra Perrone examine the role of water resources in natural, social, and human-built systems, helping students understand and evaluate the complex tradeoffs required to achieve sustainable water management. Providing a much-needed educational tool that looks at freshwater resources within the context of the crucial water-energy-food nexus, the text </p><p>• includes a primer on the elements of physical hydrology necessary to understand resource availability; <br />• covers rivers, lakes, groundwater, and soil water;<br />• relates water to agriculture, energy, urbanization, and the environment;<br />• highlights connections between water quantity and quality; <br />• explains the economic and legal constraints around water resources; <br />• considers the impacts of climate change and population growth; and<br />• proposes paths forward for the sustainable use of water.</p><p>Teaching basic methods used to make informed water management decisions, the book includes illustrative quantitative calculations, qualitative think-pieces, and case studies. An appendix provides a review of units, dimensions, and conversions useful for addressing each chapter's example problems. Online answer keys are also available.</p><p>Positioned to become the foremost text on water resource issues, this companion to Hornberger's widely regarded <i>Elements of Physical Hydrology </i>reveals the enormity of the water crisis facing the planet while offering realistic hope.</p>