Book Description

In his award-winning book WATER, Marq de Villiers provides an eye-opening account of how we are using, misusing, and abusing our planet's most vital resource. Encompassing ecological, historical, and cultural perspectives, de Villiers reports from hot spots as diverse as China, Las Vegas, and the Middle East, where swelling populations and unchecked development have stressed fresh water supplies nearly beyond remedy. Political struggles for control of water rage around the globe, and rampant pollution daily poses dire ecological theats. With one eye on these looming crises and the other on the history of our dependence on our planet's most precious commodity, de Villiers has crafted a powerful narrative about the lifeblood of civilizations that will be "a wake-up call for concerned citizens, environmentalists, policymakers, and water drinkers everywhere" (Publishers Weekly). ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Lacks focus
This a fascinating book about a fascinating (and critical topic). But in appealling to the general reader, Mr. de Villiers inserts too much (for my taste) personal anecdote. A regrettable travelogue quality permeates the narrative.

This is unfortunate, because there is much of value here. In particular, the discussion about the sources and uses of the Jordan River, Isreali concern with controlling its water supply, and water problems of the immediate Arab neighorhood, opened my eyes to an aspect of the current intractable problems of the Middle East.

My advice is to read this with pleasure, but don't be afraid to skim if you find some portions of the narrative uninteresting.

Easy to Swallow, but with No Additives
This easy to read and conversational book can be used as an introduction to the fate of water supplies around the world and their impact on human societies. de Villiers takes us on a chapter-by-chapter dissertation first on the technical aspects of water issues, such as the mechanics of groundwater and dams. Then we proceed to selected examples of water crises around the globe, such as China's dilemma of having too much where it's not needed and too little where it is needed, or the hideous catastrophe of the Aral Sea in the former USSR.

The author takes an admirably middle-of-the-road stance here and usually lets the facts speak for themselves, with just a little bit of opinionating. But his opinions are still quite moderate and level-headed, as he doesn't align himself with either unyielding environmentalists or extreme free trade proponents, both of which he accurately condemns as having very narrow outlooks on the real world. Some of de Villiers' key observations concern the water wars that will probably start erupting in coming years in dry regions of the world. Two countries will probably spend more money in a single day of war than it takes to improve water supplies for both of them for decades to come. Also, de Villiers drives home the point that the worrisome decline of fresh water around the globe is not due to greedy businessmen, corrupt politicians, or greens who refuse to let it be used. It's just the natural outcome of humans living like humans. Therefore real human cooperation across all societies is necessary to address the problem.

Unfortunately, the author's chapter-by-chapter approach serves only as an introduction to separate topics of interest, without very much substance behind each one. Also, this subject requires harder economics, politics, and sociology than de Villiers provides here. Therefore this book can best be used as an introduction to these issues before you dive into much more specific books like "Rivers of Empire" by Worster or "Cadillac Desert" by Reisner (focusing on the American West), or the works of the Worldwatch Institute for the international story.

Excellent Education of Water Supply
After reading this book I have a slight compunction with each visit to the faucet or garden hose. I must admit I was somewhat incredulous about reading a book about water. However, the author captured my attention early in the first chapter and I found the book difficult to put down thereafter. My expectations of reading material suggestive of an impending water shortage were quickly cast aside. The author demonstrates significant evidence that the world is currently embroiled in a crisis of which most individuals are unware. The mere thought that countries may be led to war to secure a water supply, no matter how realistic, is disheartening. My conscious level of awareness regarding our current water supply has been heightened as a result of reading this excellent book. For more specific details see the reviews by Robert Steele and Charles Sharpless, they are both excellent summaries.

Brilliant--Puts Water in Context of War, Peace, and Life
I rank this book as being among the top ten I have read in the decade, for the combined reason that its topic concerns our survival, and its author has done a superior job of integrating both scholarly research (with full credit to those upon whose work he builds) and what must be a unique background of actually having traveled to the specific desolate areas that comprise the heart of this book-from the Aral Sea ("the exposed seabed, now over 28,000 square kilometers, became a stew of salt, pesticide residues, and toxic chemicals; the strong winds in the region pick up more than 40 million tons of these poisonous sediments each year, and the contaminated dust storms that follow have caused the incidence of respiratory illnesses and cancers to explode.") to the heart of China ("According to China's own figures, between 1983 and 1990 the number of cities short of water tripled to three hundred, almost half the cities in the country; those who problem was described as 'serious' rose from forty to one hundred." The author provides a thoughtful and well-structured look at every corner of the world, with special emphasis on the Middle East, the Tigris-Euphrates System, the Nile, the Americas, and China; and at the main human factors destroying our global water system: pollution, dams (that silt up and prevent nutrients from going downstream or flooding from rejuvenating the lower lands), irrigation (leading to salination such that hundreds of thousands of acres are now infertile and being taken out of production), over-engineering, and excessive water mining from aquifers, which are in serious danger of drying up in key areas in the US as well as overseas within the next twenty years. The author provides a balanced and well-documented view overall. His final chapter on solutions explores conservation, technical, and political options. Two statements leapt off the page: first, that it is the average person, unaware of the fragility of our water system, that is doing the most damage, not the corporations or mega-farms; and second, that for the price of one military ship or equipped unit ($100 million), one can desalinate 100 million cubic meters of water. The bottom line is clear: we are close to a tipping point toward catastrophe but solution are still within our grasp, and they require, not world government, but a virtual world system that permits the integrated management of all aspects of water demand as well supply. This book should be required reading for every college student and every executive and every government employee at local, state, and federal levels; and every citizen.

The Water Chronicles
"Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource," by Marq De Villers is a thorough summary of facts and figures pertinent to water allocation and use in the coming century. The topics covered include descriptions of natural supplies, issues surrounding irrigation and pollution, the politics of water, and what the future may hold. If you weren't aware that there are serious problems to be dealt with in water management, this book will serve as a solid introduction. For those of you acquainted with water issues, this information will come as no surprise.

What is surprising, however, is the level-headed, even-handed tone of the book. All too many books written by non-scientists about natural resource use and misuse are filled to the brim with political polemic. De Villiers, however, has simply offered the facts, surrounded by a narrative of travels and experiences with characters from the world of water. He's just as quick to expose the fallacies of the "water miners" as he is to point out the absurdities of "eco-facism." Just the facts, please, and all wrapped into a tidy, enjoyably written bundle.

My only complaints about the book are academically picky. First, the units De Villiers chooses to use for water volumes, while all standard, are not consistent. Often he speaks of cubic meters, while not a page later he is talking of acre-feet. A few times, he even uses units of kilograms. These are generally appropriate to the topic at hand, but a conversion table should be provided in an appendix. Second, the index is not nearly complete enough. For example, while there are many places in the text where the price of water is discussed, the only reference in the index is to "Water Pricing Policies," which is a very short segment on how pricing affects demand. If you wanted to know what price farmers were paying for water in the western US, you're going to have to search page-by-page.

I would recommend this book to everyone except the most jaded water supply professionals. It covers an important topic and is very timely. If you use water, you should read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Knowledgeable discussion of home water systems, potential water problems, and practical, money-saving solutions. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Lacks Basic Data
This book doesn't contain the data needed for developing even a simple design for a home water system. For example, there is no data to calculate friction loss from water moving through pipes. The book notes that friction loss is easy to calculate using a table. The book includes a table that lists friction loss for valves and fittings in equivalent length of pipe. But, I can't find a table on friction loss per length of pipe. A third of the book and most of the bibliography is devoted to the author's opinions on water politics, he is no Marc Reisner.

A great source for home water system design and storage.
This book covers nearly every situation one may encounter in water procurement, perhaps the only subject not covered is hauling water to a completely dry site.

The focus of this book is necessarily on shallow wells, as deep wells require professional drilling, never the less the author covers well pumps, casing, storage devices and filtration systems with enough technical detail to meet most needs. Deep wells and methods are covered, just not in detail.

If you need to know how to identify and correct contamination you'll find it here. Need to compute water needs? Pump and storage specifications? Those are also here. In fact, you'll be pleased with the technical details and comparisons in an easy to read style.

I must have missed the new age stuff or at least forgot it as I read the whole book.

If you want to find water in a rural area, and develop it yourself, this is the book. I would not recommend "Cottage Water Systems" if you want detail on well systems.

A generalist approach to water.
A new age approach to the subject of water. Campbell's need to share his philosophy kept me from wanting to read the entire book. What it has to do with water is anybody's guess. But if you're into new age, and don't mind reading spiritualistic trash, this might be your book. Technically correct, the book attempts to be everybody's introduction to anything you ever wanted to know about water. That broad stroke is it's best and at the same time, worst feature.

Excellent read
I bought this book based on the review from the NC reader. This is a great book on the topic. Easy read, good examples, great information. If you are looking to get into well work or building a lateral system, get this book.

Comprehensive, practical, and fun to read.
Covers everything from finding water to getting it to treating it and controlling it. Describes ponds, catchments (roofs and paved areas), wells of several different kinds, springs, and running water. ... Read more

Book Description

When Henry David Thoreau went for his daily walk, he would consult his instincts on which direction to follow.More often than not his inner compass pointed west or southwest."The future lies that way to me," he explained, "and the earth seems more unexhausted and richer on that side." In his own imaginative way, Thoreau was imitating the countless young pioneers, prospectors, and entrepreneurs who were zealously following Horace Greeley's famous advice to "go west."Yet while the epic chapter in American history opened by these adventurous men and women is filled with stories of frontier hardship, we rarely think of one of their greatest problems--the lack of water resources. And the same difficulty that made life so troublesome for early settlers remains one of the most pressing concerns in the western states of the late-twentieth century.

The American West, blessed with an abundance of earth and sky but cursed with a scarcity of life's most fundamental need, has long dreamed of harnessing all its rivers to produce unlimited wealth and power.In Rivers of Empire, award-winning historian Donald Worster tells the story of this dream and its outcome.He shows how, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Mormons were the first attempting to make that dream a reality, damming and diverting rivers to irrigate their land. He follows this intriguing history through the 1930s, when the federal government built hundreds of dams on every major western river, thereby laying the foundation for the cities and farms, money and power of today's West.Yet while these cities have become paradigms of modern American urban centers, and the farms successful high-tech enterprises, Worster reminds us that the costs have been extremely high.Along with the wealth has come massive ecological damage, a redistribution of power to bureaucratic and economic elites, and a class conflict still on the upswing.As a result, the future of this "hydraulic West" is increasingly uncertain, as water continues to be a scarce resource, inadequate to the demand, and declining in quality.

Rivers of Empire represents a radically new vision of the American West and its historical significance.Showing how ecological change is inextricably intertwined with social evolution, and reevaluating the old mythic and celebratory approach to the development of the West, Worster offers the most probing, critical analysis of the region to date.He shows how the vast region encompassing our western states, while founded essentially as colonies, have since become the true seat of the American "Empire."How this imperial West rose out of desert, how it altered the course of nature there, and what it has meant for Thoreau's (and our own) mythic search for freedom and the American Dream, are the central themes of this eloquent and thought-provoking story--a story that begins and ends with water. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wow! A Must Read, a Pathbreaking Analysis!
I can count on two hands the number of truly pathbreaking works of history published since 1980. "Rivers of Empire" is one of them, and must reading for anyone who seeks to understand the history of this critical region of the United States.

Donald Worster, Hall Distinguished Professor of American History at the University of Kansas, has been producing outstanding history of the American West and environmentalism for more than a quarter century. When the so-called "New Western History" was avant-garde in historian circles in the early 1980s he was dubbed one of the "Gang of Four" who transformed the field of study--the others being Patricia Nelson Limerick, William Cronen, and Richard White. Worster's work, as well as that of the other three historians, was indeed pathbreaking, and "Rivers of Empire: Water, Aridity, and the Growth of the American West" is by far his most influential publication. It demonstrates well why Worster was one of the "Gang of Four."

In "Rivers of Empire" Worster argues that the core reality of the American West is its aridity. To make it suitable for large-scale human habitation required the complete transformation of the region; Americans harnessed the rivers and brought water there, irrigating the land and creating great cities. As Worster writes, "The ecological and social transformation of the Great Valley is one of the most spectacular, and more revealing episodes of the American West" (p. 11). The organization and structure of every institution associated with the West reflected the need to control the environment. It brought profound changes to both the region and the people who lived there. This is the story that he tells in this superb book.

Ironically, the supposed individualistic and democratic westerners willingly conspired with the government to create a hydraulic civilization under the suzerainty of the federal government. In order to flourish in the arid West Americans had to build an agricultural system that was dependent upon large-scale government-managed waterworks--productive (for irrigation) and protective (for flood control). This not only made the West habitable, it brought urbanization and wealth there as well. Ancient Egypt first engaged in this type of civilization, and became a dominant power in the process. But always, there were winners and losers in this situation and those left out harped on the inequities of the system. In the American West the "Sagebrush Revolution" of the latter twentieth century pitted the presumably individualist West against the organization and power of the federal government. Ironically, the very organization and power that had created the modern American West was under attack from those who had so benefited from it.

Worster notes that the dominant myth of the West needs to be replaced with a more realistic understanding. He asserts that it is best understood as a story "of people encountering difficult environments, of driving to overcome them through technological means, of creating the necessary social organization to do so, of leading on and on to indigenous bureaucracy and corporatism" (p. 11). He is so right.

This is a wonderful book. Don't miss it!

essential reading on the West
'Rivers' presents an extensive yet accessible history of Western development based on the author's unique 'hydraulic' thesis -- a hybrid framework that adds an environmental dimension to traditional socio-economic analysis. Essentially, the idea is that the relationship between humans and environment dictates social structure. Whether or not one buys the theory on the strength of this book alone is beside the point. The importance of 'Rivers' lies in its singular, alternative perspective that, when combined with others, reconstructs a more complete story of the West. With that understanding, the reader may appreciate this work without being bothered by its occasional lapses into the kind of flat ideological analysis that seems inevitable in social histories like this.

'Rivers' offers a number of invaluable insights. Contrary to the idealized vision of the West as the last hope for freedom and democracy, the West birthed a rigid, hierarchical society combining big capitalism with big government. Yet the reason behind this was not the environmental condition of aridity per se, but the romantic capitalistic notion of the desert as something to be subdued and exploited. On an even broader level, therefore, 'Rivers' begins to shed light on the dynamic interplay between the relationship between human and nature and the relationship between humans themselves. In the end, this work's highest value may lie in its contribution to the development of this critical but still largely ignored point.

A Cautionary Tale of Water: Intriguing, Readable, Important
Donald Worster's "Rivers of Empire" is a superb work by the environmental historian, though his critique of California's "hydraulic society" is more a social history. Worster chronicles the exploits of the agribusinessmen and engineers who financed and built the system of damns, reservoirs, and canals which transformed the American West from a sparsely inhabited desert to the site of massive fertile farms and sprawling urban metropolises. Worster argues that the control of scarce water resources gave rise to a symbiotic capitalist/bureaucratic elite and to a modern day empire like its ancient predecessors on the Nile, the Euphrates, and the Huang Ho. This imperial elite, in turn, established and perpetuated itself on the backs of impoverished wage laborers usually of minority or immigrant descent. As an environmentalist, he rails against the wanton waste of water for swimming pools, casino fountains, and ill-suited crops like alfalfa, the depletion of aquifers, and the salinization of rivers - all byproducts of the US government's ambitious 20th century reclamation projects. Worster points out the vengeance of nature in the form of the sedimentation and collapse of dozens of dams. He suggests that these processes and events presage the decay of a socio-economic system which long ago forsook the more harmonious ideals of agrarianism and democracy. This doomsday prediction and Worster's idealistic alternatives are a bit hard to stomach. Also, for all of Worster's sympathy for the underclass of farm laborers, this group never emerges as a real actor in his story. Rather, this is a history of great men, albeit a critical one. Nevertheless, Worster writes with passion; his narrative is fascinating and his contentions are compelling. The book is a fine counterpoint for fans of Marc Reisner's "Cadillac Desert," and an extremely worthwhile read on its own. ... Read more

Book Description

Design options and planning procedures must be critically examined to ensure that landscapes are created with sensitivity to water quality and management issues as well as overall ecological integrity. Handbook of Water Sensitive Planning and Design presents the history of water as a design and planning element in landscape architecture and describes new interpretations of water management. This text pushes the frontiers of standard water management in new directions, challenging readers into abandoning the comfortable safety of conducting business-as-usual within narrow disciplinary confines, and instead directing views outward to the exciting and incompletely mapped regions of true interdisciplinary water sensitive planning and design. With contributions from renowned practitioners, Part I provides seventeen chapters addressing the subject of site-specific water sensitive design and Part II presents another seventeen chapters focusing on issues relating to the water sensitive planning of riparian buffers and watersheds. In addition, Professor France has provided a "Response" to accompany each chapter, which succinctly underscores the salient features in more detail and emphasizes cross-linking to other chapters in the book. The "Overview" provides a brief road-map to navigate through the section. Finally, the discussion summaries at the end of each section elaborate on past problems, current challenges, and future directions. Handbook of Water Sensitive Planning and Design puts forward the very best of modern water sensitive planning and design and should be required reading for everyone involved in this dynamic and crucial field. ... Read more

Book Description

The overriding lesson from history is that most irrigation-based civilizations fail. As we enter the third millennium the question arises: Will ours be any different? For 6,000 years, irrigation has ranked among the most powerful tools of human advancement. The story of settled agriculture, the growth of cities, and the rise of early empires is, to no small degree, a story of controlling water to make the land more prosperous and habitable. Pillar of Sand examines the history, challenges, and pitfalls of irrigated agriculture --from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to twentieth-century India and the United States. By unmasking the risks faced by irrigation-based societies --including water scarcity, soil salinization, and conflicts over rivers --water specialist Sandra Postel connects the lessons of the past with the challenge of making irrigation thrive into the twenty-first century and beyond. Protecting rivers and vital ecosystems as the world aims to feed 8 billion people will require a doubling of water productivity --getting twice as much benefit from each gallon removed from rivers, lakes, and aquifers. Pillar of Sand points the way toward managing the growing competition for scarce water. And it lays out a strategy for correcting a startling flaw of the modern irrigation age --its failure to better the lives of the majority of the world's poorest farmers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This book should be required reading for everyone
The expansion of irrigation world wide has made a major contribution to increased food production, but for many years the World Watch Institute and the Earth Policy Institute have called attention to the danger of falling water tables and rivers that no longer reach the sea. Although China increased grain production from 90m tons in 1950 to 392 million tons in 1998, this was achieved at the price of rapidly falling water tables with the result that consumption exceeded production in four of the last five years; very soon China will be importing 30 - 50 million tons of grain annually, putting pressure on world grain prices. As wheat requires 1000 tons of water to produce one ton of wheat, the key challenges are: "how can we meet growing human needs for irrigation water without destroying the health of rivers, lakes and other aquatic systems? How can we grow enough food in a sustainable manner?" History tells us that most irrigation-based civilizations fail. The question we must address is "Will our civilization be different?"

Settled agriculture started 10,000 years ago in Mesopotamia but around 4,000 BC enterprising Sumerian farmers in the Fertile Crescent - present day Iraq - diverted water from the Euphrates to prevent crops withering before harvest. Irrigation allowed farmers to grow an extra crop and produce surpluses leading to an expanding population and a flourishing civilization but also bringing soil degradation from salt left by evaporation. By the 16th century the Fertile Crescent, was little more than a salty wasteland. 20% of the irrigated land today suffers from salt build up; land lost offsets increased productivity from expanding irrigation. The solution is to use just the amount of water required during the growing season and just enough to leach away salts in the root zone and then to reuse drainage water for crops with a higher salt tolerance such as cotton or tomatoes for canning or paste.

The rise and fall of civilizations closely follows the success and ultimate failure of irrigation. In 1800, global irrigated area was about the size of Austria, while today it is 30 times larger, provides 40% of our food, and is the foundation for feeding 70 million new mouths each year. However, our present day base for food production is highly vulnerable as groundwater is over-pumped and salinization spreads. Increasing land productivity is our main hope at a time when water scarcity and water misuse are the biggest threats to global food production. Food prices are at historically low levels making it difficult to justify new investments in irrigation systems. Many important food-producing regions are sustained by the hydrological equivalent of deficit financing. While water shortages are the main problem, they are compounded by global warming bringing a changing climate, shifting rainfall patterns, and more frequent hurricanes and monsoons. In addition low-lying agricultural land is lost as sea levels rise from thermal expansion of the oceans and melting glaciers and ice caps. Increasing land productivity means extending irrigation to the smallest and poorest farmers, particularly in South Asia and sub-Sahara Africa.

Irrigation will provide the bulk of the additional food needed in the decades ahead, but there is a shift of water away from agriculture to satisfy rapidly growing urban and industrial demands. We have to grow more food with less water; more crop per drop is the agricultural frontier of the 21st century. "There is no obvious, off-the-shelf package available to raise water productivity. This new challenge will require a more diverse and creative mix of strategies that together make agriculture more information-intensive and less resource intensive. - in most cases, by substituting technology and better management for water. But the technologies and strategies described in this chapter inspire hope that we can achieve the doubling of water productivity needed to satisfy the food, water, and environmental needs of the next several decades - if we choose."

Adoption of drip and other microirrigation techniques cut water use and increase crop yields but only 1% of the world's irrigated area uses these methods. If combined with other methods productivity can be greatly improved. "Wuertz pioneered a farming system that combines drip irrigation with minimum tillage of the soil. He buried drip tubing 8-10 inches deep in every crop row, and then practiced multiple cropping of vegetables and field crops (including cotton) along with minimum tillage, leaving the drip irrigation system in place. Studies of Wuertz's low-till drip methods by the University of Arizona showed that the system was able to cut water and energy use by about half and field labor by nearly 60% while increasing lint yield from cotton crops by 13%."

Improved management practices can help farmers reduce water demands while maintaining or increasing crop yields. Weather monitoring and satellite technologies help farmers know when crops need irrigation; pricing water more effectively provides an incentive to farmers to use water more efficiently; improving the ability of crops themselves to use water more efficiently; improving the harvest index to get more edible crop from the same amount of water; breeding or bioengineering plants that photosynthesize in a more water-efficient manner; reuse of municipal waste water for irrigation - these are all part of the solution. Much of the world's grain goes to feed livestock but pork requires twice as much grain per kilo as chicken or farmed fish. Many farmers who are too poor to tap the water a short distance below the surface, a flaw which needs to be remedied by providing them access to affordable irrigation.

Globally the grain harvest is enough but 15% of the world's population cannot afford grain even at today's historically low prices. Very soon food prices will rise, the housewife will complain at the supermarket, and we will see people starving in poor countries. Then people will ask "What went wrong?" The answers are to be found in this book that should be required reading for everyone.

More crop per drop - fewer drops for all
Sandra Postel goes well beyond a simple answer to the question posed by her subtitle 'Can the Irrigation Miracle last?' This book is an important resource for anybody trying to understand why water scarcity is such a major and escalating problem at the dawn of this century. Rather than adding to the generalist debate of the economists on water as a commodity or the projection into future problems presented by policy analysts and environmentalists, Postel analyzes particular examples in the past to explain the present and to make recommendations for the future.

Postel opens by reviewing major early societies in history, from Mesopotamia to Babylon, Egypt to ancient China, showing how they developed into major civilizations and why they fell. Yes, fell. Almost all great irrigation-based civilizations (Egypt being a rare exception) collapsed as a result of reallocation and overuse of water resources resulting in salinization, silting, soil degradation, etc.

Have we learned any lessons form the past? Postel argues that it does not seem so. She gives a factual account of a wide range of irrigation systems of the modern era, comparing methodologies and results to those in the past. The development of huge irrigation areas in India (Punjab), China and the US have either already demonstrated a repeat of the old mistakes or will do so in the near future. The groundwater tables are overused without being replenished and aquifers are tapped that have little chance to recover even in the long term. She describes two kinds of water wars: farms versus cities and nature and irrigation versus water scarcity. Water is reallocated and shifted from one use to another, but in some way, we are all living downstream from somebody else. Robbing Peter to pay Paul has its limits: the earth's fresh water resources are finite.

Against the backdrop of increasing water scarcity around the globe, Postel sees as humanity's main challenge the growing of enough food for our future population in a sustainable manner. She describes the pitfalls and the short-term fixes that will result in even greater problems in the future. At the same time, given the substantial increase in crop yield thanks to irrigation, she is realistic in her assessment that agriculture will not be able to do without it. As a result, the objective will have to be to reduce the amount of water we use for agriculture while at the same time producing more crop per drop of water.

Postel has traveled the world to review water systems, big and small, wasteful and efficient. Water needs saving in all areas of use, industrial, private and in agriculture. As agriculture uses by far the most of the global water resources, savings here will have major impacts down the line. She demonstrates on the basis of examples and statistics what is possible and how irrigation in agriculture can become highly effective and water conserving and restraint. She touches on the need to develop 'water-thrifty' plants, but, unfortunately, does not examine the traditional African crop varieties that are known to be drought tolerant and pest resistant. Postel appears to underestimate the importance of crop biodiversity; focusing on 'major' crops like wheat, maize and rice. Traditional farming systems developed in the earth's drylands could teach modern agriculture some important lessons.

Her main conclusion is that water management systems, whether public or private are most successful when they involve the local users and are based on a fair sharing of water resources at the community levels. Water markets and water trading provide options for the future as long as there is a fair and equitable basis for water access and use.

'Pillar of Sand' is clearly presented and easy to read. It will remain an important book in the intensifying debates around water use and mis-use, the increasing tension around demands between agriculture and other uses, and the privatization of water resource systems and the right of human beings to have the essential water they need to live.

Great look at water and agriculture
and shows our vulnerability as we are trying to feed more and more people with less and less available water. I found it a very educational book.

Pillar of Sand: Awareness and Education
Sandra Postel's "Pillar of Sand" is a book used as a tool to spread awareness of the world's irrigation problems. These problems include salinization, groundwater depletion, population increase, and competition from urban areas and industry. Postel uses her vast knowledge of the subject in addition to worldwide examples from history and current statistics to illustrate the importance of proper irrigation. If we cannot irrigate more efficiently and moderately, then our world and its civilizations will deteriorate just as the great empires that past.

Reading this book as taught me to be more aware of water and its use or misuse. I learned certain crops couldn't handle the increase of salt found in irrigation water. Groundwater is being used faster than it can be replenished resulting in deeper wells. Eventually the underground water table will be dry. Government irrigations projects seemed to be short-lived attempts to tap the water resources by building large dams, taking water control away from private industries. Cities and industry are now fighting with farmers to gain more than a fair share of the limited water resources. Likewise, downstream river locations are often left dry due to up stream water hording.

People are slowly becoming concerned with our world's water problems and are making strides to prolong the use of this limited resource. Salt tolerant plants are being tested in certain climates. Governments are placing restrictions on water use for farmers and industry. Biogenetically engineered crops can also use salty are smaller amounts of water. Drip irrigation, tube wells, and more efficient irrigation are also ways to save water. Finally, there is more attention to the wildlife in water ecosystems.

Encouraging population growth
The 8 billion people Ms. Postel talks about will surely be here come 2030. If we don't have enough water to grow the food they will need famine will be rampant throughout the Mid-East, Southern Mexico and Indonesia. So, Ms. Postel seems to think that drip irrigation and water sharing will prevent this event. When do we face the fact that the forced growth of corporate agriculture has already produced the disasterous growth in world population? And further increases in food production will only contribute to the problem. Stop the destruction of the great aquifers of the world; conserve our precious water, certainly, BUT remember that world population will never be put in balance by growing more food. Solutions to over-population are to be found elsewhere and must be vigorously promoted! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Best dam book I ever read!
An interesting biography of a man dedicated to the agricultural independence of the West. I also enjoyed reading about the details of dam building coupled with the sacrifice of the workers to acomplish these magnificent feats of engineering. Reading about the life and hardships of the workers on Hoover Dam, during the Great Depression, was very educational. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good biography or learn about the engineering challenges of dam building. ... Read more

Book Description

The quality and availability of fresh water is of critical importance to human and ecosystem health. The World's Water 1998-1999 is a comprehensive reference on worldwide freshwater resources and the political, economic, scientific, and technological issues associated with them. It provides both detailed analysis of the most significant trends and events and the most up-to-date data available on water resources and their use. Chapters examine:

• access to basic water requirements for drinking and sanitation
• hydropower and dam construction
• water law
• water and coflict
• water and global climate change
• international water institutions and activities

The book features more than fifty charts, tables, and maps that present the most current data on a range of factors including: the availability and use of water; numbers of threatened and endangered aquatic species, dam and desalination capacity worldwide; trends in several devastating water-borne diseases; changes by region in global precipitation patterns since 1900; and much more.

To be published on a biennial basis, The World's Water will be an essential reference for water resources specialists with both government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, resource economists, planners, public policy and public administration experts, environmental lawyers, students and anyone concerned with water issues. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

superbly written and factual
The author describes the development of mountain sources of water and thetunnels and ditches that brought it to the sugar plantations. Then sheweaves in the history of the sugar industry which changed the subsistenceeconomy of the Hawaiians forever and brought Hawaii into the modern world. While doing this skillfully in a clear style she also weaves in much of thehistory of the islands. If you have any interest in Hawaii the book willfascinate you. ... Read more

Book Description

It takes 8 gallons of water to grow a tomato; 616 gallons to make a burger patty. In fact, the food each of us consumes per day represents an investment of 4,500 gallons of water, according to the California Farm Bureau. In this densely populated state where it rains only six months out of the year, where does all that water come from? This thoroughly engaging, concise book tells the story of California's most precious resource, tracing the journey of water in the state from the atmosphere to the snowpack to our faucets and foods. Along the way, we learn much about California itself as the book describes its rivers, lakes, wetlands, dams, and aqueducts and discusses the role of water in agriculture, the environment, and politics. Essential reading for a state facing the future with an already overextended water supply, this fascinating book shows that, for all Californians, every drop counts.

* Features 137 color photographs and 27 color maps

* Includes a table "Where Does Your Water Come From?" that answers the question for 315 California cities and towns

* Provides up-to-date information on water quality in California, covering such timely topics as Giardia, groundwater contamination, fluoride, and the bottled-water phenomenon ... Read more

Book Description

Water is vital to social and economic development whilst both arable land and water are scarce. Managing water is highly capital intensive, and capital is also scarce. Simultaneously, there are environmental consequences to any intervention in the water cycle whilst the economy depends on the environment. Therefore, for an integrated catchment, economic analyses must be undertaken on the analysis of the impacts of the proposed scheme upon the catchment as a whole.

This book starts with the Dublin declaration for defining sustainable water management and sets out the economic framework needed to support the implementation of its requirements. The book is divided into two parts: the theory and applications. The theory side sets out the nature of choice and decision-making, considering social and policy issues for water and resource management. The applications side provides the tools for the economic evaluation of water needs, the use of economic instruments and cost-benefit analysis.

Handbook of Water Economics: principles and practice:

• Adopts an integrated approach to managing land-water interactions.

• Includes good practice guidelines for each method along with a comparative summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

• Illustrates techniques with real applications from projects in Egypt, South Africa, China and the United Kingdom.

• Includes case studies on water availability, sewerage and wastewater treatment, tradable permits, , flooding, and hydrometric data.

• Incorporates other aspects of water management, including law, sociology, psychology, development studies and market research.

• Is orientated to practical application.

Book Description

Long gone are the days of drinking naturally pure water from flowing rivers and streams. It is already common today for people to use bottled water or home water filtration systems for their drinking water. How have we come to such a predicament, and what can be done about it? Continuing pollution, ever increasing population and industrial demands, destruction of the rainforests, overpumping of the ground water are all responsible for the deterioration of water quality— but the underlying reason, as William Marks shows in this wide-ranging, thoughtful book, is a lack of understanding of and respect for the nature of water itself.

Marks covers such diverse topics as water’s role in the origin of the universe and of life, cosmic rain and water in interstellar space, water in the myths of various peoples and religious traditions, the power of water in the many forms it takes in the natural world, vortex energy and living water, water and the human body, water healing, and a history of water pollution. He offers hope for the future by discussing the work of such visionaries as Theodor Schwenk and Viktor Schauberger. Marks shows us that finally water can be understood only when seen as the mediator not just between life and death but between the physical world and the spiritual world as well. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

great book
I enjoyed this work immensely. The writing was concise, and entertaining while the content was profound and extremely informative. A great read to share with family, especially children to explain our highly complicated relationship with water and the world around us.

A thought provoking book of hope.
I highly recommend The Holy Order of Water. I read it cover-to-cover, and it has changed the way I think about life on earth. Author William E. Marks notes that "In all my readings and travels around the globe, it appears as though people are awakening to the idea that all life is related through water." I've often wondered about the saying that the beat of a butterfly wing can be felt around the world. Maybe this idea, that water currents connect us all, is the reason why. If the water connecting us all holds an energetic current of balance and vitality instead of pollution and despair in the ways that Marks shows are possible in this book, then maybe by healing ourselves and our local environments we can we bit by bit change the world. This thought provoking book has given me a great deal of hope.

An Environmentalist's Must-Read
Marks' fine book has educated and inspired me to be more sensitive towards water conservation efforts in my community, and more aware of how important water is to every facet of human existence. Most of all, Marks' writing style makes complicated scientific theories accessible to the "average reader" like me. His stories of his travels and experiences are vivid and fascinating. I've bought several copies of this book for my friends, too. If the politicians in Washington had read this book, we might have a better future.

Water Bible Through Head, Heart and Hands
William Mark's incredible journey is of relational knowing. One that is timeless creation that speaks to each and everyone through spirit, academic findings, wonder and proactive awareness. His book has enlivened my senses of sustaining life and believe that his knowledge should be read by all who care of life and also those working in the field of hydrology.

Water Bible... an experts personal perspective on Water&Life
The Holy Order of Water gives the reader an experts intimate
perspective on water and life.Marks' water journey takes us to places we've never been before... from the origins of life on this and other planets to the historial rituals and roles that water has played throughout civilization.Health and healing issues that are influenced by water and its magical properties are explored in depth based upon the latest scientific research,as well as the authors life changing personal experience
with water as a healing agent.His story line alerts us to the
urgency of enviromental controls necessary to insure the safeguard and preservation of our most precious resource.Must reading for all who cherish the taste of pure water enjoyed by our forefathers. ... Read more

Book Description

World population is predicted to increase by a third by the year 2025. Approximately seventy percent of global abstracted water is used in farming and therefore the economics of irrigation are becoming increasingly important in sustainable development.Water for Agriculture is essential reading for those professionals involved in the planning of water resources and for advanced students studying this topic of agriculture development studies, economics, engineering, environmental science, hyrdology and planning courses. ... Read more

Book Description

A real-life thriller about the corporate takeover of our most basic resource.

In a shocking exposé, Blue Gold shows why, as the vice president of the World Bank has pronounced, "The wars of the next century will be about water."

Increasingly, transnational corporations are plotting to control the world's dwindling water supply. In England and France, where water has already been privatized, rates have soared and water shortages have been severe. The major bottled-water companies—Perrier, Evian, Naya, and now Coca-Cola and PepsiCo—head one of the fastest growing and least regulated industries, buying up fresh water rights and drying up crucial reserves. Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, two of the most active opponents to this trend, show how the corporate giants act in their own interest and how, contrary to received wisdom, water flows uphill to the wealthy who can afford it.

The consumption of water doubles every twenty years—more than twice the rate of the increase in human population. Blue Goldcaptures in striking detail the forces behind the depletion of the world's fresh water, and the human and ecological impacts it entails. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

SOCIALIST VIEW OF WATER
Blue Gold is extremely easy reading replete with abundant data and reasons why private corporations should not be allowed to provide public services. While there is no doubt that private enterprise has failed in some cases and has been guilty of unseemly business practices, the authors completely ignore the dismal failure and inability of government to develop and manage water supplies. Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, convinced their citizens that the Sangre de Cristo water company was poorly run and the water was too expensive. Since they took it over, service has been downhill and costs have been uphill. Readers are urged to use google to determine the Santa Fe water woes. The book provides a specious look at the Walkerton, Ontario affair, a publicly run water system, by saying the E. Coli outbreak was the fault of a private laboratory because they only reported what the government required. Other examples of poorly run public systems are too numerous to mention including Dar es Salam, Nairobi, Cochabamba and many others.

The book is a pleasant and informative read but must be read with the understanding that the authors are completely opposed to any private involvement in the production and distribution of water. They make the mistake of equating the operation of a water system with the ownership of the resource. They make the mistake or would like the reader to believe that the cost of water is actually the cost of water. It is not. When we refer to the cost of water it is really the annualized amortation of the capital infrastructure cost and the annual operation and maintenance cost. There are very few situations where the water is sold as a resources, San Diego, El Paso, and San Antonio being a few recent examples. So to say water is like oil is misdirection.

The authors also would lead readers to believe that bottled water is bad. In actual fact, bottling companies are held to the same standard as municipal systems for water quality.

The authors are strongly opposed to the bulk water export from Canada or from anywhere else. Those who propose such schemes could not make their proposals unless there were an uneven distribution of water on earth and their proposals are sometimes received favorably by governments such as Israel in their proposal to temporarily import 50 million cubic meters for 10 years until their desalination plants are up and running.

Pirating our Water Supply
Blue Gold's a book to let you know more about where your water in America is going. Can we stop this theft of our most valuable resource. A study reports huge corporations seeking control of the world's water supply. These involve giant European corporations in collaboration with the World Bank. Together increasingly taking control of public water supplies with tragic results. a report 'The Water Barons' says that by 2002 private water companies were operating in 56 countries and 2 territories. This rose from a dozen in 1990. Companies that are expanding control are Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux and Vivendi Environment of France, Thomas Water by RWEAG of Germany, Suar of France and United Utilities of England working with Bechtel Co. of the United States. All of these have worked closely with the World Bank. They lobby aggressively for legislation and trade laws to require cities to privatize their water. A recent update is that these companies continue in their acquisition to control water companies in the Northeastern U.S. region.

In major cities around the world, they persuade governments to sign long-term contracts with major private water companies. The concern, is that a handful of private companies could soon control a tremendous bulk of the world's most vital resource. Are water barons providing a good product? One certain city in the U.S. cancelled it's water contract because of complaints of poor service and unsanitary water conditions. In other countries and poorer countries were unable to pay huge water bills were forced to drink from disease-ridden lakes and streams resulting the spread of deadly epidemic outbreaks such as chlorea. In regions of the U.S. where ground water isn't enough to support domestic and fire protection water needs. It's necessary to develop alternative sources of water. The water crisis is worldwide. Many countries are facing a severe shortage. Some will run out of water by the year 2011. Can we find alternative ways to conserve our greatest resource. And, in the meantime can we stop the railroading of public water to greedy giant corporate barons. This book is a eye-opener. Another good reading on this subject is, 'Cadillac Desert.'

Addresses Threats to Our Most Valuable Global Resource
This was a great book that highlights the current threats to our global water supply. This book was particularly thorough in the analysis of the privatization of water resources. It explains the international institutions that prop up global water companies. I was very impressed with the extensive research that the authors must have put into this book - they used many examples of water issues from around the world. This book is a great introductory book for someone interested in becoming more knowledgable in water issues. It is also a great book for the general public to help them to understand more about a resource they probably take for granted. Don't buy bottled water! It is environmentally wasteful of resources and economically unjustifiable. It contributes funds to private companies and helps to support global water corporations!

Threats to Blue Gold
There are not many surprises in BLUE GOLD. The primary message of Maud Barlow and Tony Clarke's book echoes the Blue Planet Project, a global campaign to assert the universal right to water, of which Barlow is one of the international leaders. It is the 'battle against the corporate world' - here in particular the 'theft of the world's water'. Of course, it is not so much a 'theft' of water - the world's water supply has been more or less stable since the beginning of time - rather the increasing control by a small group of multinationals over the water's allocation to the peoples of this planet.

Consequently, the strength of the book is in its coverage of the multi-national corporations, the 'Global Water Lords', and the exposure of their expanding power over water delivery and processing systems around the globe. Initiatives to privatize water delivery at a national level probably started with Napoleon III in France in the middle of the 19th century. At that time, governments were usually in charge of water management. Since then privatization has spread from France to the rest of the world. Today, Barlow and Clarke maintain, some 10 corporate players dominate the global water industry. Two French companies hold the lion's share. Most of these major players are multi-utility providers, which increase their hold on the water resources of countries and regions. Once a government opens a door to privatization of any of the water related services, such as water delivery or waste management, it abandons its right to take back control at any stage even if water user groups complain about bad or no service or the company does not live up to the contract. The rules and regulations of the WTO see to that, the authors claim. Although the percentage of national water systems controlled by multi-national corporations at the present time is small, Barlow and Clarke want to warn of the trend and its implication.

Examples are described where things have gone wrong: poor quality of project implementation resulted in water pollution and environmental damage, and/or communities and local business lost the water supply altogether. In these instances corporate water suppliers maintained their profit margin through cutting back in previously promised investments and/or increasing consumer rates. The latter was implemented without any regard to the capacity of the poor to pay. As a result, they could be cut off from the service.

Barlow and Clarke's analysis of the progression of the global water crisis and its origins is less satisfactory. A reader unfamiliar with complex topic of water might find the tour d'horizon overwhelming. The review of the diversity of root causes at local, national and regional levels is superficial and tends to present generalizations where concrete examples would have been more meaningful. The tendency to paint a black and white picture with big business as the main villain sidelines other major reasons for water crises around the world. Agriculture is only mentioned in passing, although some 70% of all water resources are used by agriculture: agribusiness and millions of small-scale and mid-size farmers across industrialized and developing countries. Implementing water conservation methods (through improved irrigation, drought tolerant crops, etc) could lead to substantial water resource savings.

Recent initiatives against global corporate water control highlighted in the section 'Fightback' are selective, emphasizing well-known international as well as North American cases. The approach is usually confrontational with clearly identified opposing sides. Examples of constructive multi-stakeholder collaboration efforts in many parts of the world which attempt to tackle water scarcity are not given enough recognition.
The 'Way Forward' spells out fundamental principles and recommends a series of standards that should be included in any agreement of public-private partnerships in the water delivery sphere. These include the involvement of water users in the planning of the systems, local stewardship and watershed protection, strengthen water preservation and reclaiming of polluted water systems. Underlying all these standards is the recognition of water as an essential part of life and the right of all beings to water whatever their social or economic status. A call for capacity building and education of consumers, communities, government officials and private sector actors at all levels should be added.

BLUE GOLD is an easy read, maybe for some too easy considering the seriousness of the topic. It covers very important ground, often in an overview fashion that tends to generalize and take a black and white stand. Although it is obvious that the authors did comprehensive research in preparation of the book, it shows a certain lack of thoroughness by not providing citation references (footnotes), adequate source listings and a bibliography or reading list.

Blue Gold
Compared with Marc Reisner's Cadillac Desert or Marq de Villiers Water I found Blue Gold to be relatively poorly researched, presenting only the authors' point-of-view rather than a thoughtful analysis of the world water situation. The authors failed to convince me that "public" (government) control of water distribution would be better than private control; after all, the government in the U.S. has a very poor record of equitable distribution, especially through Bureau of Reclamation projects. A private distribution system modeled after our natural gas distribution system, with a regulatory board setting prices and two-tier pricing (cheap baseline rates plus higher rates for use above baseline amounts) could perhaps work, but was not discussed by the authors.
I think, also, that the editing was somewhat poor: Does California factory-farm runoff really leak into the Ogallala aquifer (p. 34)? Did the FBI really order reservoir gates closed in Klamath Falls (p.65)?
Overall, I think better books are available that discuss the water issue in a less biased manner. ... Read more

Book Description

Principles of Water Resources presents a long-awaited comprehensive look at our most precious resource. With its broad coverage of the history of water availability and use as well as government development, management and policy of water usage, this text is ideal for students of geography, biology, environmental studies, urban planning, geology, environmental engineering, soils and range sciences, watershed science, public administration, fisheries and wildlife, forestry resources, hydrology, natural resources, and ecology. The author has enlivened the text with interesting sidebars, policy issues, and closer looks at past and present examples of water use. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Is water capable of extinghuishing the Middle Eastfire?
Hydrology is an aspect central to Arab - Israely conflict. This is one thing commonly ignored by Peace and Conflict scholars.The author suggests a valuable reminder of the water determinant in the political equation ofthe lengthy Middle East conflict. The book is highky actual in these daysdue to Israel goverment's effort to achieve peace deals with it'sneighbours. ... Read more

Book Description

The environmental history of the past three decades has heightened awareness that the volume of water available in the Nile Basin is not sufficient to meet reliably the current levels of water demand, quite apart from rapidly growing needs.The environmental element of the complex matter of evaluating and managing the international water resource of the Nile is addressed in this volume.The book deals with the global and regional hydrology, examines the scope and emphasis of water resource planning in the Nile Basin over the past century and identifies future options.The material is intended to be relevant to environmental scientists, government officials and water resource professionals in both national and international agencies, as well as those concerned with the environment and hydraulic engineering in the academic community. ... Read more

Book Description

Managing water effectively means reconciling the often conflicting goals of conservation, irrigation, drainage, supply, flood control, hydropower, waste, recreation, and other needs. Water Resources Management: Principles, Cases, and Regulations gives you a complete framework for mastering the technical, financial, legal, political, regulatory, and administrative demands of today's complex water industry. Stressing how to gain political and managerial water project support, infrastructure engineer Neil S. Grigg also serves up over 50 real-world case studies that help you manage the problems of water supply and environment, flood control, drought, reservoir operations, water quality, watersheds and wetlands, estuaries and coastal waters, and much more. ... Read more