Book Description

In recent years, scientists have begun to focus on the idea that healthy, functioning ecosystems provide essential services to human populations, ranging from water purification to food and medicine to climate regulation. Lacking a healthy environment, these services would have to be provided through mechanical means, at a tremendous economic and social cost.

Nature and the Marketplace examines the controversial proposition that markets should be designed to capture the value of those services. Written by an economist with a background in business, it evaluates the real prospects for various of nature's marketable services to "turn profits" at levels that exceed the profits expected from alternative, ecologically destructive, business activities. The author:

• describes the infrastructure that natural systems provide, how we depend on it, and how we are affecting it
• explains the market mechanism and how it can lead to more efficient resource use
• looks at key economic activities-such as ecotourism, bioprospecting, and carbon sequestration-where market forces can provide incentives for conservation
• examines policy options other than the market, such as pollution credits and mitigation banking
• considers the issue of sustainability and equity between generations

Nature and the Marketplace presents an accessible introduction to the concept of ecosystem services and the economics of the environment. It offers a clear assessment of how market approaches can be used to protect the environment, and illustrates that with a number of cases in which the value of ecosystems has actually been captured by markets.

The book offers a straightforward business economic analysis of conservation issues, eschewing romantic notions about ecosystem preservation in favor of real-world economic solutions. It will be an eye-opening work for professionals, students, and scholars in conservation biology, ecology, environmental economics, environmental policy, and related fields. ... Read more

Book Description

The second edition of Restoration of Contaminated Aquifers: Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Compounds incorporates the latest advances in in-situ remediation and natural attenuation, and maintains the comprehensive, accessible structure that made the first edition a classic.The new edition broadens the scope of the first by examining all forms of hydrocarbon contamination. The authors emphasize the remediation of Non-aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs) and, Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs). They also address the growing role of natural attenuation. The second edition opens with an improved introduction. There are new sections on site characterization, remediation economics and site closure. And unlike other books on this subject, the new edition offers vital managerial and project management guidance, such as, initial project planning and assessment, a look at remediation economics, and a how-to on project closure and follow-up. Since its initial publication in 1991, Restoration of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers has been the established, invaluable reference for environmental professionals and regulators. Its sweeping, yet approachable format is inestimable in the field, in the lab, and in the policy-making arena. Restoration of Contaminated Aquifers: Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Compounds will continue to be the guide to the war against petroleum contamination. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

required reading in california
This book is required reading if you plan to take the distribution exam. Other texts go into greater detail with pictures and expanded sections on safety etc but this book has the information needed for taking the dhs exam. ... Read more

Book Description

Many large-scale irrigation projects established in developing countries have failed - despite huge inputs of foreign aid - because the institutions for opening and maintaining the projects proved inadequate.Ostrom counsels planners to look beyond a narrow concern with engineering and to let irrigation consumers involve themselves in the design, operation, and maintenance of water-supply systems. ... Read more

Book Description

This book explores the design and management of landscape irrigation systems, a basic element of landscape architecture, landscape contracting, and turfgass management. It provides unbiased coverage of irrigation system design, with a focus on water conserving methods. ... Read more

Book Description

Water Resource Development in Northern Afghanistan and its Implications for Amu Darya Basin is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank’s ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion.

This study examines increased water use by Afghanistan and its implications for other water users in the basin, including the Aral Sea, both in the short and long run through an overview of: a) the amount of Amu Darya flows generated in northern Afghanistan; b) the amount of water presently used in northern Afghanistan, prospective use in the near future, and possible impact of the increased use on the riparian states and the Aral Sea; c) existing agreements between Afghanistan and the neighboring Central Asian states regarding the use of waters in the Amu Darya Basin, their relevance and applicability in the present and in the future; and d) future directions for water resources development and improved water management in the basin. ... Read more

Book Description

More than the economy, more than changing demographics,even more than education, water is the key to the future of Texas. It is not much of an overstatement to claim that water is the future of Texas.

In the fall of 2000, a conference on "the world's most crucial natural resource" was held at Texas A&M University. It was a gathering of people with many viewpoints and areas of expertise, all focused on what the book's editors rightly say is and will be the state's defining issue--water.

Together, the observations and recommendations brought together in this volume represent some of the best thinking about Texas' connections with water--in the past, present, and future. Ranging from broad historical overviews to technical and scientific discussions, the chapters address the questions of where we have been and where we are headed as we enter a new century of challenges to provide water for Texas. ... Read more

Book Description

A Guide to Golf Course Irrigation System Design and Drainage details every phase of an irrigation program - from the system design to construction, from scheduling to operation, and much more.  It also covers the fundamentals of drainage design and installation.  Turfgrass managers and golf course superintendents will refer to this handy book often to plan and implement effective irrigation systems, ensure appropriate capacity, easy installation, and practical operation and maintenance. ... Read more

Book Description

The story of "the great thirst" is brought up to date in this revised edition of Norris Hundley's outstanding history, with additional photographs and incisive descriptions of the major water-policy issues facing California now: accelerating urbanization of farmland and open spaces, persisting despoliation of water supplies, and demands for equity in water allocation for an exploding population. People the world over confront these problems, and Hundley examines them with clarity and eloquence in the unruly laboratory of California.

The obsession with water has shaped California to a remarkable extent, literally as well as politically and culturally. Hundley tells how aboriginal Americans and then early Spanish and Mexican immigrants contrived to use and share the available water and how American settlers, arriving in ever-increasing numbers after the Gold Rush, transformed California into the home of the nation's preeminent water seekers. The desire to use, profit from, manipulate, and control water drives the people and events in this fascinating narrative until, by the end of the twentieth century, a large, colorful cast of characters and communities has wheeled and dealed, built, diverted, and connived its way to an entirely different statewide waterscape. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A bit too long, but a nice compliment to Reisner' s book
Reisner's book "Cadillac Desert" is much more readible, but this book is a data dump of the above and more of a primary reference.

Recommended if you are a pedant or just like more raw unfiltered data.

The Single Tome on California Water History
The Great Thirst is as long and detailed as the subject matter it tackles, a complete history of Californians and water. The revised edition came out in 2001 and addresses the recent developments in the Bay-Delta program (formally know as CALFED) and important water policy changes at Mono Lake and in the Owens Valley. The book consists of 8 chapters covering the early, pre-European settlement, the role water development played in the growth of Los Angeles and San Francisco, the development of large state and inter-state water projects, the recent changes in water policy brought on largely by shortages, and environment concerns, and the author's summary.

To give you a feel for the detailed scope of the work, the author includes over 100 pages of notes to supplement the text, and a bibliography of nearly the same length! I have yet to find anything the matches The Great Thirst in its unbiased depiction of the complex history, water policies, competing interests, and future challenges that have and will come to shape California.

The author, an American History professor at UCLA, presents the reader with the single most important fact facing California, "Californian's are currently using more water than well be available on a long-term basis. The deficit is 1.6 million acre-feet annually, which can rise to more than 5.1 million acre-feet during drought years..." The public appetite for new water development has come to a halt given the high cost to state budgets and more importantly the surrounding landscape. But the growth of development and population continues marching on, leaving you to wonder how the final chapter of this important story will be written.

An excellent and underrated treatment of a complex subject
I was pleasantly surprised by the first edition of this book, which was much shorter than the new one. It is broader in range than any other account that I know on this absolutely central issue for California, and its depth doesn't seem to be compromised at all in spite of its comprehensibility. It isn't exactly lively writing, but it's clear nonetheless. I think Hundley's book offers lay readers a fuller picture of why water is so important in California and the west, and how people have tried to manage it, than any other single volume. ... Read more

Book Description

Our daily lives and continued good health are reliant on successful water treatment.For quick solutions to on-the-jobproblems, the industry turns to Water Treatment. Tillman shares the wisdom of almost 20 years of experience in municipal, industrial and wastewater facilities. The author writes in a concise, well organized format - perfect for fast reference. Common problems and the recommended operator responses are listed in tabular form. Water Treatment is another indispensable work from the author of Wastewater Treatment. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Little did I know.
Fresh water is becoming more and more scarce as we continue poluting it. This book is so interesting and informative I had difficulty putting it down. E.C. Pielou has enlightened and entertained me all at once and has succeeded in writing one of the most fascinating books I've read.

This book flows
As a professional whitewater guide this book caught my attention as I was looking to better understand my "office". While I found the early chapters on groundwater a bit dry, (no pun intended) I was unable to put down Fresh Water once it got above the vadose layer. I found it informative without being overly scientific, and now have an entirely different outlook on the water cycle. It is obvious this book was written by someone who truly enjoys the subject matter.

Reads Like A Textbook
If you enjoy reading college textbooks, then you'll love this one. Although it's well-written with many illustrations/diagrams, facts and definitions, I didn't find any pleasure reading it. Fresh Water lacked anecdotes, humor, interesting point-of-views etc....just a DRY, BLAND and extremely objective view of the cycles, forms and uses of water. However, Fresh Water would be excellent reference material.

Good review of limnology
This is a good introduction to limnology. It isn't boring and not too technical. It is just an explaination of how freshwater behaves on earth. It explains groudwater, rivers, lakes, water cycle, and the functioning of aquifers. The focus of the book was on North America and in particular Canada and the North of the United States, that's okay but she spends several pages about bogs and fens and one small paragraph about the forested wetlands and mangrove wetlands. I think the lady is Canadian, so she writes aboput what is around her. That is fine, it liked that book and would recommend it to somebody who has an interest in the science of things around us. Many poeple think that water comes from the faucet and that is all. She provides an excellent explaination of where is goes from and where it goes.

Learn all about groundwater,rivers, dams, permafrost, & more
The author gives us a rare combination of the technical terms with thoroughly understandable explanations of water and what it does and what it means for us. The book seems comlete in its explanations of how water works whereever it occurs, which is all over our world. I thought, for example, I knew how water worked underground; now I really know, and that is important to efficient agriculture which will also preserve adjacent flora and fauna. Pielou tells both the good and the bad of human intervention with water no matter whether it is flowing in rivers and lakes or bound in permafrost or geological configurations. Even if you think you don't really care, this book will let you understand more about the arguments about dams and rivers and reservoirs and all that contentious stuff. ... Read more

Book Description

The Klamath Basin is a land of teeming wildlife, expansive marshes, blue-ribbon trout streams, tremendous stretches of forests, and large ranches in southern Oregon and northern California. Known to waterfowl,songbirds, andshorebirds, the Klamath Basin's marshlands are a mecca forbirds along thePacific Flyway. This gorgeously illustrated book is a paean tothe beauty ofthe Klamath Basin and at the same time a sophisticatedenvironmental case studyof an endangered region whose story parallels thatof watershed developmentthroughout the west.

A collaboration between two photographers and a writer,Balancing Watertells the story in words and pictures of the complexrelationship betweenthe human and natural history of this region. Spectacularimages by TupperAnsel Blake depict resident species of the area, migratorybirds, and dramaticlandscapes. Madeleine Graham Blake hascontributed portraits of localresidents, while archival photographs documentthe history of the area.

William Kittredge's essay on the conjunction of conflicting interestsinthis wildlands paradise is by turns lyrically personal and brimmingwithhistorical and scientific facts. He traces the water flowing throughtheKlamath Basin, the human history of the watershed, and theland-use conflictsthat all touch on the availability of water. Ranchers, loggers,town settlers,Native Americans, tourists, and environmentalists are allrepresented in thenarrative, and their diverse perspectives form acomplicated web like that ofthe interactions among organisms in the ecosystem.

Kittredge finds hope in the endangered Klamath Basin, bothin successfulrestoration projects recently begun there, and in thecommunity involvement hesees as necessary for watershed restoration andbiodiversity preservation.Emphasizing that we must take care of both humaneconomies and the naturalenvironment, he shows how the two areultimately interconnected. The KlamathBasin can be a model for watershedrestoration elsewhere in the west, as wesearch for creative ways of solvingour intertwined ecological and socialproblems. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Camera and Pen Weave a Story for Stewardship
Five stars... without a doubt! Blake, Blake, and Kitteridge craft a compelling case for stewardship of the ecosystems we inhabit. The story is grounded in the Klamath Basin of Southern Oregon where a complex dance of men and nature is being played out. Historically, the federal government in the form of the Bureau of Reclamation identified the water rich basin as a region to promote for farming. No surprise that today the area is largely given over to farming and ranching. Prior communities consisted of local Native Americans who for the last hundred years or so have been driven out of the basin either by our military or our legal system. And last, but not the least in importance, the bio-diversity that suffers at the hands of lost habit, chemicals used for pesticides, and misguided management by public institutions.

Farmers, the indigenous Klamath people, migrating birds and native fish, all have their claims to the basin. From recalling the basin from his early childhood to driving the dirt roads to meet the 3rd generation farmers and ranchers, William Kitteridge's writing is exceptional at putting real faces and names to this place.

The story is made sublime with some of the most outstanding western wildlife photography you are likely to find. The photographs represent the sacredness of a place that serves as a stop for millions of migrating birds that no words can begin to portray.

A tragic postscript to the publishing of this book was a fish kill of some 30 thousand salmon on their way up the Klamath River to their spawning beds. Its been concluded that in stream flows got drawn down to the point where the migrating salmon stacked up in swallow and warm pools which ultimately depleted the water of oxygen. Only recently have federal wildlife managers admitted that diversion of water to farmers in the basin caused the massive fish kill in the Klamath.

Balancing Water:Restoring the Klamath Basin
Excellent narrative that provides the historic context for what is emerging as one of the most difficult and contentious fights between economic and enviromental interests anywhere in the US. The photography is outstanding and Kittredge's discussion of the people and the issues in this beautiful area provide concise insight for anyone interested in understanding the tragedy of US government policies on the management of the land, the people, the fish, and the birds of the Klamath Lake basin. Strongly recommend!!!

Outstanding - wonderfully written - world class photography
This book is an epiphany. Kittredge is the best essayist writing about the American west living today, and the photographs are almost perfect. This book will introduce readers to an area that has remained mostly obscure, an area where huge environmental dramas have long since began, and are still being played out. Many sympathies are presented in this book; lots of heros, too. An amazing read. ... Read more

Book Description

In the sequel to his bestselling Earth Ponds, Tim Matson offers new ideas, advice, a wealth of resources, and his trademark wit in this sourcebook full of practical information for pond owners. Those who want to build a new pond today are likely to face tighter regulations on wetlands and complicated questions about building methods; those who already own ponds may wonder how to stock it with fish, how to cure an alga or weed problem, or how to cope with beavers. This book addresses all of these issues, and more.

Topics covered include:

* Pond Building: a concise guide, A to Z
* Maintenance: symptoms of a dying pond and some basic and off-the-wall ideas about how to prevent, or reverse, this aging process
* Wildlife: how to attract those you want; how to repel those you don't.
* Activities and Use: skating, raising fish, saunas and hot tubs, kits for building rafts, docks, and gazebos, pumps for irrigation and pond protection,
* Garden ponds: goldfish, ornamental plants
* Details about the products on the market, where to buy supplies, and how to get the best for your buck. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Wordy
This book is okay but very wordy. Perhaps it's just me and my Jack Webb attitude, "Just the facts, ma'am."...

Earth Ponds
This is meant as a companion for his other book on ponds but does a very nice job by itself. ... Read more

Book Description

Vranesh's Colorado Water Law is the second edition of the massive three-volume treatise written by the late George Vranesh and published in 1987. Editors James N. Corbridge Jr. and Teresa A. Rice have reduced the original work from three volumes to one, and they have substantially rewritten and reorganized it to make it more accessible for those involved with and interested in water law and policy. Colorado water law cases decided since 1987, along with relevant federal cases, have been included; statutory material has also been updated and discussed; and recent emerging doctrines in Colorado water law are analyzed in detail, with appropriate citations. Much of the historical detail in the original work has been retained, but it has been shortened to increase the book's utility as a guide to Colorado water law as it exists today.

Vranesh's Colorado Water Law serves as a reference resource for attorneys practicing in the field of water law, as well as a thorough introduction for those just getting started in the subject. It will also be a helpful reference work for individuals and institutions interested in the acquisition and distribution of water: municipalities, water conservancy districts, irrigation organizations, water engineers, and hydrologists.

James N. Corbridge Jr. is professor of law at the University of Colorado at Boulder, specializing in natural resources and water law. He is the author with William A. Weber ofA Rocky Mountain Lichen Primer.

Teresa A. Rice has taught water law at the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Law and public land law at the University of Denver School of Law. ... Read more

Book Description

Streams around the world flow toward the sea in floodplains.All along this transit, there is exchange of water between the stream itself and the surrounding sediments which form the floodplain.Many chemical, biological, and geological processes occur when water moves back and forth between streams and these flood plain sediments.Streams and Groundwaters focuses on the consequences of water flow between streams, their underlying sediments, and surrounding landscapes.Certain to appeal to anyone interested in stream ecology, the management of stream ecosystems, or landscape ecology, this volume should become a oft-opened reference. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Used it as a textbook
I've read a lot of books on landscape estimating and this is the best one so far. He covers all the most common methods of overhead recovery. It makes an excellent textbook.

LANDSCAPE Contractors BUY This Book
I refer to this book often. Having been landscaping for 15 years and having read a lot of books, this is among the best. You may know a lot or a little about operating a landscape business this book will help. ... Read more

Book Description

A stand-alone working document, Stormwater Effects Handbook: A Toolbox for Watershed Managers, Scientists, and Engineers assists scientists and regulators in determining when stormwater runoff causes adverse effects in receiving waters. This complicated task requires an integrated assessment approach that focuses on sampling before, during, and after storms. The Handbook supplies assessment strategies, sample testing and collection methods, and includes illustrative figures and tables.The authors introduce an innovative design that can be tailored to address a wide range of environmental concerns, such as: ecological and human health risk assessments, water quality or biological criteria exceedences, use impairment, source identification, trend analysis, determination of best management practices, stormwater quality monitoring for NPDES Phase I and II permits and applications, and total maximum daily load assessments. They provide case studies to illustrate the effectiveness of this approach and the data that can be compiled. Containing reviews of emerging technologies that hold promise for more effective receiving water evaluations, this book gives you detailed information on selecting methods and carrying out comprehensive evaluations. It includes guidance for the experimental design measurements, as well as standard and advanced statistical methods for data evaluations. Despite the complexity of stormwater management, successful and accurate assessments of their impact are possible by following the integrated approaches described in Stormwater Effects Handbook: A Toolbox for Watershed Managers, Scientists, and Engineers. ... Read more

Book Description

While retaining the strengths of the First Edition, this thoroughly revised edition of Hydrology and Hydraulic Systems offers a complete treatment of the quantitative elements involved in the development of water resources. The Second Edition includes fundamental, up-to-date coverage of applications and designs, the development and monitoring of groundwater, kinematic and contaminant hydrology, evapotranspiration, the design of water supply projects, the theory of leaky aquifers, probable maximum precipitation, and flood-routing procedures. The text's broad coverage makes it ideal for a variety of courses on hydrology, hydrologic systems, and water resources management. Outstanding features of the Second Edition include: 280 illustrations and 175 tables; 225 fully solved example problems integrated within the text and 500 end-of-chapter problems; detailed treatment of theory and applications of groundwater flow for both steady- and unsteady-state conditions; application of EPA-recommended statistical procedures to groundwater monitoring; detailed presentation of field practices of hydrologic investigations and analytical procedures for data assessment; systematic treatment of various estimation techniques of surface water; analysis and design of basic hydraulic structures; presentation of contaminant hydrology as it relates to surface water, groundwater, and unsaturated media; and complete treatment of storm, sanitary, agriculture, and urban drainage systems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hydrology/Water Resources Textbook
This is one of the best textbooks currently available in Hyrology and Hydraulic Systems. I will be using this book in my Water Resources Engineering. ... Read more