Reviews (2)

A Great Book about Ghana's Development in the Era of Nkrumah
Reading this book, Volta:Man's Greatest Lake, makes me wonder how things could have shaped up were Nkrumah's era not brought to an abrupt end by the coup of February 1966.

The presence of the Volta Dam today is a monumental story of the achievement of a patriot, a doer, and a man of immense ambition and aspiration for his country.Regretably, it is also an unfinished story; about a dream gone awry because of the misguided thinking and naivete of two reckless soldiers and the greed of foreign interest.

One cannot escape noting the sacrifice, in both human and fiscal terms, which was brought to the building of the dam.The displaced people of the area.The lost heritage of those belonging to that part of the land and many other less tangible but deeply felt aspects of their lives, all of which were sacrificed for a worthy cause to build the Volta Dam ...To move a nation forward.And then to have the driving force behind this progress removed, and the spirit of a people truncated by a mil

A Great Book about Ghana's Development in the Era of Nkrumah
Reading this book, Volta:Man's Greatest Lake, makes me wonder how things could have shaped up were Nkrumah's era not brought to an abrupt end by the coup of February 1966.

The presence of the Volta Dam today is a monumental story of the achievement of a patriot, a doer, and a man of immense ambition and aspiration for his country.Regretably, it is also an unfinished story; about a dream gone awry because of the misguided thinking and naivete of two reckless soldiers and the greed of foreign interest.

One cannot escape noting the sacrifice, in both human and fiscal terms, which was brought to the building of the dam.The displaced people of the area.The lost heritage of those belonging to that part of the land and many other less tangible but deeply felt aspects of their lives, all of which were sacrificed for a worthy cause to build the Volta Dam ...To move a nation forward.And then to have the driving force behind this progress removed, and the spirit of a people truncated by a mil ... Read more

Book Description

Resource management in the United States is undergoing a fundamental change. Traditional sustained-yield approaches that focus on commodity-production and human resource use are steadily giving way to ecological approaches, often referred to as ecosystem management, that have long-term ecological sustainability as their primary goal. To achieve that goal, ecosystem management emphasizes socially defined goals and objectives, integrated and holistic science, collaborative decision making, and adaptable institutions. Political considerations are an essential component of ecosystem management, yet its socio-political context has been largely ignored by those studying and writing on the subject.

The Politics of Ecosystem Management is the first book to focus entirely on the political challenges facing ecosystem management as it moves from theory to practice.

The authors examine:

• the history of natural resource management in the United States
• the theory behind ecosystem management
• potential inconsistencies and contradictions in the themes of ecosystem management
• political philosophies that undergird traditional resource management
• alternative political principles inherent in ecosystem management
• opportunities and barriers for achieving collaborative ecosystem management

The Politics of Ecosystem Management considers the sweeping and profound changes that will be required of the American governance system-its political philosophy, institutions, notions of citizenship, and politics, as well its resource management practices-if the shift to ecosystem management is to be realized. It is a lucid and accessible volume that represents a vital contribution to the literature for students, researchers, and professionals involved with any aspect of developing and implementing ecosystem-based approaches to resource management. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Invaluable for those concerned about fish habitat
This book provides a functional, usable set of guidelines to consider when working on fisheries habitat and stream rehabilitation problems. Although it is oriented towards the American environmental processes - EPA etc, the background concepts and information should be required reading for everyone who is involved in both environmental monitoring and assessment, and those who are involved in trying to bring back stream habitat that has been lost.

Useful for a much broader audience than originally targetted. For instance Community Stewardship groups here in BC have found it most useful.

Informative, thorough, and interesting
A very informative, thorough, and interesting coverage of the topic. Very well written and an enjoyable read. I especially liked the presentation of the "chapters" as "premises."

Advocacy is one theme of this book, but I didn't find that objectionable. As a former professional in the regulatory field, I think it is important for people with opinions to express them!

This book is really a must-read for people working on any aspect of biological monitoring of aquatic systems.

Excellent strategy & advice; slightly one-dimensional
Karr & Chu provide compelling arguments for the inclusion of reasoned biomonitoring efforts in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of aquatic ecosystems. This is long-overdue. Their desire for biological relevance above and beyond statistical significance is also laudable, reminding me of a dear mentor's constant advice: "But what do the numbers *mean* biologically??" It is an extremely well documented book as well, providing ample resources for further scholarly investigation of related topics. I laud their eagerness to create biological relevance and move beyond standard statistical distributions by brute biological common sense. Their approach is clearly robust, time-effective, and biologically relevant - an excellent combination for real-world environmental management decisions! I do, however, find the authors' quite one-dimensional focus on the use of single "multimetric indices" to be limiting in the practice of aquatic EIA. (Multimetric indices are sums of individual indices, each measuring a different ecological factor.) I fear that the same mathematical machinations which make Karr & Chu's methods robust may also make them insensitive to subtle biological changes. They might contend that robust management considerations render subtle biological changes irrelevant; I would argue that subtle change over time can be at least as powerful as quantum, near-instantaneous changes. The author's methods are also constrained by the fact that the a significant effort is expended in calibration, which may be fine and justified for future studies, but may be of little help for projects currently "in-hand." In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book as a required read in aquatic biomonitoring strategies, but I will continue to examine my data in more statistically conventional ways as well as through multimetric indices --- I'm not likely to throw out the entire old toolbox for the addition of one new tool, after all, and all the multimetric indices in the world won't do a jot of good without sound experimental design practices.

Thoughtful and inspiring yet a bit too one dimensional
Karr & Chu write to inspire improvement in biological assesment protocols; no doubut I agree with them on this goal. They also remind us all that the "proof of the pudding" is in the biological relevance of the statistical analyses which we undertake to perform this task. Again, no problem. I do have suspicions re: their rather singular fixation on univariate compression of data to the IBI format to the extent that any & all multivariate data treatments are avoided. I would strongly recommend this text as a starting point, but would equally strongly recommend that you *avoid* considering it a definitive Bible for these assessment processes. An apt ecologist who is conversant with contemporary techniques of biotic quantification should perhaps be able to come up with some more multivariate and flexible metrics in addition to those suggested in this text -- although their tables of "what works where" are very helpful starting guidlines for pragmatic issues of what variables to measure in the field. Excellent documentation if you want to go after the references found in the bibliography. Wonderfully aggresive attitude re: preserving our rivers & engaging style -- I read most of the book this afternoon just because it's so engaging, which is pretty high praise for a textbook. If you also happen to be involved with biomonitoring efforts, please drop me an email as I'm working remotely via the 'Net & wold love the comraderie & discussion -- Eric entfolks@mwci.net ... Read more

Book Description

This pioneering study of the conflict over the natural water resources of geographic Palestine - Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip - is the first comprehensive examination of all the region's shared water sources and the economics of their use in agriculture, households and industry.Dr. Elmusa's detailed survey of the surface and groundwater resources provides essential data for understanding both the extent and the limits of the water supply for Israelis and Palestinians.By focusing on both the scarcity and the commonality of the water resources, he demonstrates why water has become a contentious issue between Israel and the Palestinians. Despite the problems with water supply during the Israeli occupation, the author believes that the peace negotiations mark an historic turning point in the conflict over water.He discusses in original details how the principles of equitable utilization and joint management of their common water resources can be achieved and can enhance the prospects for reducing conflict over water. Thus, how the conflict over water is resolved will test overall Palestinian-Israeli cooperation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent book if you want in depth detail
I ordered and read this book during me research on the feasibility of building a desalination plant in Gaza. It provided all of the details on water quality in the Palestinian territories that I could have asked for.

Be advised that this is the product of research oriented writing, and not bed time reading material. It includes enough commentary on the Israeli practice of piping quality water out of the Gaza Strip into Israel proper and other Israeli water practices that are malicious.

Equally upsetting is the spoiling of water aquifers in Gaza by overpumping. As salt water creeps in, these aquifers are lost forever. The book provides credible and supporting evidence that the water in the Gaza Strip will get progressively worse, and will leave the area waterless in the foreseable future. ... Read more

Book Description

Part of the AWWA Trend Series, this is a compilation of the most significant published works on desalination from January 2001-March 2004.Articles are taken from AWWA conference proceedings and periodicals and include some updated material not previously published. Major topics are seawater and brackish desalination, membrane softening, disposal, costs and delivery. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Much more than meets the eye
Hydrology of the Middle East may seem like a dull subject at best, but this is in fact one of the best books I've ever read (including non-fiction). Combining history and science, Hillel provides an extraordinary account of both the importance of safe water supplies and the impact that this has on modern politics. These issues may not be readily apparent to fortunate individuals who, like me, grew up without ever having to worry about obtaining water, and it may be those people in particular who will derive the greatest pleasure and benefit from this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The story of California is the story of water, and no book tells it better than this opulent, exuberant, thoughtful collection of photographs and text.With full-color photos throughout, Water and the Shaping of California presents the natural history of water in California, and explores the forces of nature--flood and drought--and society--gold, grain and growth--that led to the water projects that created the California we know today and the conflict over competing uses.

Water and the Shaping of California features literary works by some of California's best know authors including Mary Austin, Joan Didion, John McPhee, William Saroyan, Gary Snyder, Kevin Starr, and John Steinbeck.Duotone photographs and illustrations along with excerpts from old journals and magazine articles by William Henry Brewer, Clarence King, John Muir, Mark Twain and others paint a picture of the California of yesterday.

Water and the Shaping of California is a large, capacious book, in which water is viewed both intimately and at the same time with an enlarged perspective that enables the reader to come away with a greater sense of the history of the state and the problems and opportunities we face. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An outstanding, specialized, illustrated regional history.
This documentary on California's water history provides both an important state guide and a history featuring literary works by some of the state's best-known authors. Politics, economics, and social issues blend in this presentation which includes 148 color photos, 58 duotone photos, and 15 line drawings to make for a lavish display of facts. ... Read more

Book Description

The traditional image of contemporary Africa is of a continent dogged by poverty, drought, degradation and famine. This study, drawing on the best work of the past decade andbased on researched case studies from East and West Africa, rejects the notion of runaway desertification, driven by population growth and inappropriate land use.It suggests a more optimistic model of sustainable land use and an appropriate set of policy priorities to support dryland peoples in their efforts to sustain land and livelihoods. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Roots in the African Dust
Roots in the African Dust Michael Mortimore is best known for his extensive studies of farming systems, environmental change and human adaptation to drought in the drylands of northern Nigeria. Mortimore's focus is on local, populist human adaptations to a harsh and complex environment. He developed his research focii when teaching geography at the universities of Ahmadu Bello and Bayero in Nigeria for over twenty-five years, before moving to the UK in the late 1980s where he is now a consultant. He has produced several influential and thought provoking texts; these include Adapting to Drought (1989), Working the Sahel (with W.M. Adams, 1999) and a revisionist account of livelihoods in Machakos, Kenya entitled More People, Less Erosion (with M Tiffen and F Gichuki, 1994). Roots in the African Dust is a synthesis volume, accessible to students, scholars and policymakers, that reviews some of the empirical material contained in these and other works. The book offers a forceful argument that the sub-Saharan drylands (the natural environment, and the people) are still coping under conditions of environmental, monetary and demographic stress. Ten well-presented, liberally illustrated chapters respond to questions posed in the introduction. If we believe expert views, Mortimore says, the Sahelian peoples should have been engulfed by an expanding Sahara many years ago, livestock markets should have collapsed due to overgrazing, farms would have been obliterated by land degradation, fuelwood should have run out, and entire areas depopulated for lack of economic opportunity. Since rural communities farming systems clearly still exist, the author uses several local examples to challenge these erronous crisis discourses. The second chapter addresses the legacy of worries about desertification and its impacts. Mortimore concludes that desertification is usually short-term, and reversible. Chapter three responds to the need to earth the global discourse in the realities of dryland households objectives (p38) since the majority of decisions about farming in Africa (outside the major commercial farms and ranch areas) are taken by smallholders. Defining farmers goals in terms of welfare and the reproductive needs of households, he offers a rich selection of material on labour, crop mixes and land use systems, technical change, trees, water management, and the importance of livestock (walking resources). Three chapters examine risk management. Systems primarily dependent on pastoralism are shown to use opportunistic stocking and herd mobility in an unstable, but resilient environment. Farmers exploit rain and moisture, and manage technological and biological diversity through sequential decision-making. Holding to a broad definition if the African household as a network of implicit contracts (following Robert Netting), Mortimore shows how risk is negotiated through maintenance of household numbers, a focus on flexible food production, and famine avoidance. He recognises that catastrophic policy errors and economic greed contributed to recent famines, but concludes that Sahelian farming is resilient (p111). This is partly due to non-farm activities, and the vigorous marketing of crops and animals (despite price and demand fluctuations and political uncertainty). Wage labour (involving circulatory migration), asset liquidation, agricultural sales, and exploitation of social networks also help to see people through hardship, and diversification away from agriculture and pastoralism is not the act of desperate people. A clear policy recommendation here is the necessity to keep borders permeable to migrants; in the absence of a rich industrial or commercial sector in most African countries, individuals will still keep their links to their rural homes. A further three chapters examine the extent of soil degradation, merits of agricultural intensification, and conservation of biotic resources. Mortimore claims that high population densities fuel intensification of agricultural production, if other constraints are absent. His well-known Machakos studies are used to demonstrate how commercial opportunities and population pressures drive resource conservation. The highlight of the book is the last chapter, where he speculates on the driving forces behind the transformation of rural African land use systems, again trying to demonstrate resilience and diversity in locally managed livelihoods. Africa's environmental and human systems change at different rates, but their trajectories are closely linked. Transitions are underway in land uses, and these are economic, demographic and institutional. Policy must, for Mortimore, follow a populist model by nourishing local creativity and adaptability (a version of Paul Richard's indigenous agricultural revolution). All interventions must be technically and culturally appropriate, and the goal of environmental management might be best served by protecting local innovation and investment against crises, for example through improving access to markets and recognising the need for free circulation of people and capital. Mortimore's project is, therefore, an intriguing and a potentially controversial one. In holding to a notion of strong (Boserupian) human adaptation to environmental and economic stresses, there is an open invitation for the political ecologist/economist (some cited above) to wade in with countervailing evidence of class exploitation, conflict, the systematic prevention of intensification or human development, or economic crisis brought on by commodity markets or corruption. Social and political conflict is downplayed (but not excluded) in the book. Not much is said about struggle and open resistance and why such struggles (often gendered, or to do with access issues) might have been necessary. Although at no point does the author say that rural Nigerians and Kenyans are always capable of solving problems without the state or any external assistance, but his view is that they usually are, and that the state and development agencies may not be suitable agents of positive agricultural transformation. Nonetheless, I have great faith in the author's experience, his findings, and his main recommendations. So much hinges on whether Northern Nigeria and Machakos (in particular) are typical of other regions and situations. Intensified agricultural systems have not always developed elsewhere, because different social and environmental histories apply. What is most gratifying is that Mortimore retains an attachment to rigorous comparative fieldwork that, frankly, few other scholars can demonstrate; a dedication to supporting the African smallholder; and a methodology that places equal weight on the natural environment, and the relationship between environmental change and human response. The book is an example of the real contribution of the committed geographer to African agrarian and development studies, and it is pleasing to have a single volume that offers such a breadth of analysis in a holistic, wide-ranging view of rural livelihoods and landscapes. ... Read more

Book Description

A multi-disciplinary analysis of the evolution of water politics and policy by an international team of distinguished experts.Water management in the Middle Ages in Europe, its evolution in the USA, the elaboration of the European Water Framework Directive, the British experience of water management, the over-exploitation of African aquifers, and the evolution of the water situation in Southern Africa are all examined. This volume underlines the fact that only an integrative and interdisciplinary understanding can lead to genuinely improved water management practices that will not benefit some social groups at the expense of others. ... Read more

Book Description

All 50 states are implementing mandates of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assignments for contaminants likely to impact water in the United States, making water quality management a timely topic. TMDL criteria are a new initiative under the Clean Water Act and of critical importance to agricultural producers and state and federal regulators. Unfortunately, few precedents for assignment of pollutant maxima exist. This volume will show what one state (Mississippi) is doing to determine the most cost-effective and reliable practices for reducing the potential for non-point source pollution of U.S. waters. Readers may be able to apply some of the lessons learned in the Mississippi Delta Management Systems Evaluation Area (MDMSEA) to their own region. (Copy from 585) ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

A historical review of sewage and wastewater systems in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan region. A general worldwide sewerage history precedes a more detailed history of the San Diego-Tijuana area. Starting with the days of raw sewage flowing down the dusty streets of Old Town San Diego in the 1800s to today with the modern challenges of scarce potable water, ocean water quality and federal mandates. The complete history of the City of San Diego’s present 550 square mile Metro wastewater system, along with the histories of the various connecting agencies and cities that utilize the San Diego system. A detailed review of Tijuana, Mexico’s wastewater system is presented together with the history of the continuing cross-border pollution and health issues. Over 200 photos and illustration, a full index and detailed appendices compliment the main text of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great reading
After reading this book I knew everything I wanted (and didn't want) to know about San Diego's sewerage system. The author wrote this book in terminology that anyone can understand. Highly recommend it for anyone who has the slightest interest in what happens when you flush the toilet. ... Read more

Book Description

This book addresses the question of how to measure financial risk associated with investments in the following infrastructure: electricity generation, power transmission, and water storage, treatment, and distribution systems. Integrating material from business, engineering, economics, demography, probability theory, computer simulation, and policy studies, Jones explores the application of risk analysis to construction projects, rate-setting and price effects, and customer characteristics. The clearly written study is organized around risk factors affecting costs and revenues, while the presentation supports a practical analysis with spreadsheet and simulation examples. ... Read more

Book Description

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was one of the most expensive and controversial public works ventures of the last twenty-five years. In this monumental history of the nation's largest navigation project, Jeffrey K. Stine records the struggle between the interests determined to build the waterway and the forces pitted against its completion, a drama played out within congress and the federal courts, on the front pages of newspapers, and through the hilly countryside separating the Tennessee and the Tombigbee rivers.

First authorized in the 1940's, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was championed by local boosters along its proposed route and by their supporters in Congress, despite its questionable economic benefits and its substantial environmental consequences. The Waterway, built between 1972 and 1985, was the most extensive domestic project ever undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers, its 234 miles, five dams and ten locks entailing the movement of more earth than was required to dig the Panama Canal.

Arrayed against the Waterway were scientists, politicians, and civic leaders disturbed by the social, environmental, and economic effects of this massive construction project. The fight over the Tenn-Tom helped to set the terms of the environmental debate reflected today in American society: the tension between development and preservation, between special interests and the national interest, between the advances of technology and the retreat of the natural world.

Based on extensive research, Mixing the Waters pulls together for the first time the complete story of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, a period of profound changes in American life, with increased scrutiny of governmental policies and actions, greater accountability of federal agencies and corporate offices, and a critical shift in public attitudes and values concerning quality of life issues. By exploring the intersection of U.S. politics, technological progress, and the environmental movement, Jeffrey K. Stine has shown how this controversy over a public works project still influences the way America argues about its future. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

How your tax dollar destroys the natural environment!
This book takes an in-depth look at the politics behind the building of one of the largest and costliest waterway projects in U.S. history!If you're ever wondering about the enigmatic U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers and what they do with your tax dollars, then read this book!Even if you've never heard of the Army Corps. of Engineers, then read this book to see what questionable water projects that are built with taxpayers' dollars and destroys the environment.You'll be disturbed and offended at the game of "power politics" that goes into deciding which states get "pork" projects. I never thought that a book about a waterway could be so interesting, but Dr. Stine writes with an elucidating and poignant style.Thoroughly researched and objectively written, this book is sure to make you think twice about how your tax dollars are spent ... Read more