Product Description
A comprehensive charting of the global water industry.

In the next ten minutes, forty children around the world will have died because they didn't have enough clean water or sanitation facilities.

In the world today, over a billion people lack safe drinking water. As tension mounts between states competing for diminished supplies of "blue gold," the global water industry is expected to become a trillion-dollar-a-year operation within a decade.

Up until now, no single publication has given shape and meaning to statistics about water use, re-use, and control. With a range of maps of startling clarity and richness of detail, The Water Atlas brings together the latest findings to show water distribution worldwide, the real cost of use in water-rich countries, and the dangers of a future where privatization and profit dictate availability. The atlas covers a wide range of topics, from consumption and scarcity to areas of political tension and looming catastrophes. Including detailed profiles of vulnerable regions—such as California, the Middle East, and India—as well as bold summaries of the global picture, The Water Atlas will be a unique resource for general readers as well as health professionals, advocates, and students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A sound, basic introduction to issues of worldwide water uses and shortages
This book is a good introduction to the issues relating to the ever-developing, increasingly complex global water crisis, i.e., shortages of useable water worldwide and the efforts and proposals to address those shortages and manage the use of water.The title "atlas" comes from the frequent use of world maps structured to depict graphically the status or severity, by country, of the relevant issue (for example, groundwater withdrawn per person, domestic water use, amount of fertilizers in water, etc.).Textual discussion is relatively concise. Indeed, some of the individual sentences or paragraphs in the book could be, and surely are, the subject of an entire book by themselves. At the end of the book there is a moderate listing of references, both print and internet, which I have not explored by which appears useful.

What follows is a sampling of the facts or principles from THE WATER ATLAS relating to worldwide water use and shortages: (a)The basic fact is that water is a fixed quantity."Every drop counts because that drop never disappears or reproduces, even though it may change its state from liquid to gas to solid and back to liquid."(b)More than two-thirds of all the water withdrawn worldwide is used for agriculture, and the majority of this is used to irrigate crops in arid and semi-arid areas, by no means an efficient use of water.(c)The production of beef is extremely costly in terms of water consumption compared to other food sources (for example, 900 liters for 1 kg of wheat versus 15,000 liters for 1 kg of beef).(d)Worldwide there are innumerable imbalances or disparities in the amounts of water available to different groups of people, some of which contribute to political friction.One of the most striking is that between Palestinians and Israelis; in 2002, the average domestic use of water per day by Palestinians was 71 liters, whereas for Israelis it was 350 liters.(e)In trying to decide how to address water imbalances and shortages and to manage water use worldwide, "[m]uch depends on whether water is seen as a human right or just a human need which * * * can be best provided for through market mechanisms."

THE WATER ATLAS does little more than identify issues and present some basic quantification of their significance or severity in different counries or regions of the world; it does not discuss any of those issues in depth.Thus, the book is more appropriate for the general reader who seeks a comprehensive but very broad-brush overview of "the water crisis" or for high school students, particularly those in a course on environmental matters or relating science to politics and policy.For those two groups, THE WATER ATLAS can be strongly recommended, with the caveat that the $24.95 retail price tag is steep for such a slim book (90 pages of text and graphics), although Amazon's currently listed price obviously is quite a bit more reasonable.

2004, needs updating and a web site
Published in 2004, this is an extraordinary book for its combination of authoritative sources, visualizations, and the plain fact that water, not energy, is the Achilles' heel of civilization.

The authors are extremely well-qualified, and I really appreciate their source references, many of which are online.Sadly, they have not created a web-site as a companion to the book, and so we are stuck with the best that analog hard copy can do, and no where near the power of digital interactive visualization and modeling.

Normally I would take one star away becuase the publisher has not done their job in listing this book at Amazon.They should have posted the table of contents at a minimum, and ideally also offered Amazon "inside the book" privileges.Below is the table of contents, the easiest way for me to both praise the book and inform prospective buyers.

Part 1:A Finite Resource
Fresh Out of Water
More People, Less Water
Rising Demand
Robbing the Bank

Part 2:Uses and Abuses
Water at Home
Water for Food
Irrigation
Agricultural Pollution
Water for Industry
Industrial Pollution
Water for Power
The Damned

Part 3:Water Health
Access to Water
Sanitation
Dirty Water Kills
Harbouring Disease
Insidious Contamination

Part 4:Re-shaping the Natural World
Diverting the Flow
Draining Wetlands
Groundwater Mining
Expanding Cities
Desperate Measures
Floods
Droughts

Part 5: Water Conflicts
The Need for Cooperation
Pressure Points
Weapon of War

Part 6:Ways Forward
The Water Business
Conserving Supplies
Setting Priorities
Vision of the Future

Part 7:Tables
Needs and Resources
Uses and Abuses

The tables are per capita by country.

See also:
Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource
Blue Frontier: Dispatches from America's Ocean Wilderness
The Blue Death: Disease, Disaster, and the Water We Drink
Adaptive and Integrated Water Management: Coping with Complexity and Uncertainty

In other fascinating atlases of this type:
The Penguin Atlas of War and Peace: Completely Revised and Updated
Zones of Conflict: An Atlas of Future Wars
An Atlas of Poverty in America: One Nation, Pulling Apart, 1960-2003
Atlas of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS
The Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World's Greatest Challenge (Atlas Of... (University of California Press))

The latest findings with respect to water distribution
The Water Atlas: A Unique Visual Analysis Of The World's Most Critical Resource is the impressively collaborative work of environmental experts Robin Clarke (Editor of the World Meteorological Organization' "World Climate News") and Jannet King (who has worked for many years editing and researching environmental, political, and historical atlases). The Water Atlas is the first publication to give shape and meaning to the complex statistics about water use, reuse, and control. Enhanced with a range of maps notable for both clarity and detail, The Water Atlas offers the latest findings with respect to water distribution worldwide, the real cost of use in water-rich countries, and the dangers privatization and profit with respect to water management and distribution. Of special interest are the detailed profiles of vulnerable regions ranging from California, to the Middle East, to India. A unique reference, The Water Atlas is "reader friendly" for non-specialists with an interest in water conservation issues, and reliably informative for academia, water management professionals, governmental policy makers, and environmental activists.
... Read more

Product Description
The Sixth Edition has been thoroughly updated to include several new federal and state cases, legislation, and administrative regulations. The authors have included material and case studies on many other recent developments that are not yet fully reflected in cases and statutes. Some of those case studies, including the management of the Great Lakes, the multi-million dollar aquatic ecosystem restoration program in the Bay-Delta, efforts to protect endangered species, and the aftermath of the 2002 water cut off for farmers in the Klamath River Basin have been expanded and updated. Each chapter contains significant new material. Although the organizational approach for these initial chapters is new, the majority of the cases in them will remain familiar to users of earlier editions. However, the first part of Chapter 8, which deals with local water distribution organizations, has been compressed by eliminating the principal cases. New material on adequate water supply laws has been added. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good deal, but Better Service.
The seller responded my inquiry promptly and courteously, I got a great book at a very good price.What more can you ask for? I will do a deal with them in a heartbeat.

Great transaction!
The book is in great condition and it got here fairly quickly. Thanks! ... Read more

Product Description

Designed to provide an up-to-date broad coverage of pertinent topics concerning water resource engineering. This book focuses on modern computer-based modeling and analysis methods, illustrating recent advances in computer technology and computational methods that have greatly increased capabilities for solving water resources engineering problems. Focuses on fundamental topics of hydraulics, hydrology, and water management. Water resources engineering concepts and methods are addressed from the perspective of practical applications in water management and associated environmental and infrastructure management. The focus is on mathematical modeling and analysis using state-of-the-art computational techniques and computer software. Appropriate as a reference in water resources engineering for practicing engineers.

Product Description
This book is divided into four parts. The first part, Preliminaries, begins by introducing the basic theme of the book. It provides an overview of the current status of water resources utilization, the likely scenario of future demands, and advantages and disadvantages of systems techniques. An understanding of how the hydrological data are measured and processed is important before undertaking any analysis. The discussion is extended to emerging techniques, such as Remote Sensing, GIS, Artificial Neural Networks, and Expert Systems. The statistical tools for data analysis including commonly used probability distributions, parameter estimation, regression and correlation, frequency analysis, and time-series analysis are discussed in a separate chapter.

Part 2 Decision Making, is a bouquet of techniques organized in 4 chapters. After discussing optimization and simulation, the techniques of economic analysis are covered. Recently, environmental and social aspects, and rehabilitation and resettlement of project-affected people have come to occupy a central stage in water resources management and any good book is incomplete unless these topics are adequately covered. The concept of rational decision making along with risk, reliability, and uncertainty aspects form subject matter of a chapter. With these analytical tools, the practitioner is well equipped to take a rational decision for water resources utilization.

Part 3 deals with Water Resources Planning and Development. This part discusses the concepts of planning, the planning process, integrated planning, public involvement, and reservoir sizing.

The last part focuses on Systems Operation and Management. After a resource is developed, it is essential to manage it in the best possible way. Many dams around the world are losing some storage capacity every year due to sedimentation and therefore, the assessment and management of reservoir sedimentation is described in details. No analysis of water resources systems is complete without consideration of water quality. A river basin is the natural unit in which water occurs. The final chapter discusses various issues related to holistic management of a river basin.


... Read more

Product Description
An essential, up-to-date and economically priced source of information on all aspects of water engineering and technology. Emphasis is placed on the needs of poorer communities and on the importance of environmental sustainability.

The entries cover the many facets of water engineering and technology including: water supplies for urban and rural communities, wastewater systems, water resources, hydrology, irrigation, river improvement, drainage, erosion, groundwater exploration, hydrography, flood protection, hydraulic machines, dams and water power.

The dictionary is designed to meet the needs of engineers, technicians and students. It offers down-to-earth guidance for all those involved in sustainable development programs, from planners to field workers.

The key features of the dictionary include:

* clear and spacious layout for easy reference and reading* 3500 terms, clearly defined* numerous key terms explained more fully* cross-references to associated and alternative terms* illustrations help clarify more complex terms, equipment and structures

Available both as a paperback field edition and in a hardback library edition ... Read more

Product Description
The purpose of this book is to improve the methodology of designing water resource systems. The methodology of system design involves four related steps: identifying the objectives of design; translating these objectives into design criteria; using the criteria to devise plans for the development of specific water resource systems that fulfill the criteria in the highest degree; and evaluating the consequences of the plans that have been developed. All of this methodology is defined in this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The report, based on a complex analytical methodology, provides a clear economic rationale for investing in improved water resources development and management in Kenya. It is part of the World Bank’s policy dialogue on water resources management reforms and investment planning in Kenya. It focuses on the economic implications of two key factors that make the economy and people of Kenya highly vulnerable—the effects of climate variability and the steady degradation of the nation’s water resources. The 1997-2000 El Niño-La Niña episodes cost the country Ksh 290 billion, about 14 percent of GDP during the three year period. Given their regularity, over the long term, floods and droughts are estimated to cost the economy about Ksh 16 billion per annum (2.4 percent of GDP). This is a very serious drag on the country’s economic performance. Water resources degradation costs the country at least Ksh 3.3 billion (0.5 percent GDP) annually. The long term annual impact of 2.9 percent of GDP from these two factors has been developed conservatively. While it is not economic to avoid all costs, many of them can be minimized by increased investment in management and infrastructure and more efficient, accountable, and participatory management and operation of the water resource sector. ... Read more

Product Description
Fifteen years ago, opponents of large-scale dam projects in China were greeted with indifference or repression. Today they are part of the hydropower policy-making process itself. What accounts for this dramatic change in this critical policy area surrounding China's insatiable quest for energy?

In China's Water Warriors, Andrew C. Mertha argues that as China has become increasingly market driven, decentralized, and politically heterogeneous, the control and management of water has transformed from an unquestioned economic imperative to a lightning rod of bureaucratic infighting, societal opposition, and open protest. Although bargaining has always been present in Chinese politics, more recently the media, nongovernmental organizations, and other activists--actors hitherto denied a seat at the table--have emerged as serious players in the policy-making process.

Drawing from extensive field research in some of the most remote parts of Southwest China, China's Water Warriors contains rich narratives of the widespread opposition to dams in Pubugou and Dujiangyan in Sichuan province and the Nu River Project in Yunnan province. Mertha concludes that the impact and occasional success of such grassroots movements and policy activism signal a marked change in China's domestic politics. He questions democratization as the only, or even the most illuminating, indicator of political liberalization in China, instead offering an informed and hopeful picture of a growing pluralization of the Chinese policy process as exemplified by hydropower politics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The first reviewer has no clue
For those who know China, they know Mertha got things right. Of course his nuanced argument would not conform to the simplistic views of those who don't know China, such as the first reviewer.

worthwhile
Repetitive and boring at parts, but well-structured and informative. Definitely worth the read though, personally, I don't entirely buy his arguments. ... Read more

Product Description
Comprehensive in scope, this book provides an analytical description of the structure and dynamics of water as a global resource and relates this to the technology and economics of water resource conservation, policy, and administration. Treats emerging resource trends in water use and estimates of future resource demands. ... Read more

Product Description
As a low-lying delta region with a high population density, the Netherlands has long served as a compelling study of successes and pitfalls in water management. Water Policy in the Netherlands traces the arc of water governance in the country, from technological innovations to prevent wide-scale flooding, to strategies focused primarily on improving water quality, to an interdisciplinary, integral water management approach, which brings together perspectives from economics, hydrology, ecology, water law, and water technology. The book is grounded in the realization that both the technical and social sciences must play a key role in crafting policy in the face of serious environmental challenges, including climate change, sea level rise, and increasing soil subsidence.

Within the context of the European Union's Water Framework Directive, Reinhard, Folmer, and their contributors explore how economic models and pricing structures might improve efficiency in the distribution of water resources, how the competing uses for water including for recreation, agriculture, fisheries, and natural preservation create demands on the quantity and the quality of water resources, and how public participation, cogovernance, and both public and private interests can be effectively served in natural resource management. Comprehensively presenting stakeholder and theoretical perspectives, the book provides insight into how the analytic tool of integral management is necessary to not only meet the current demands of water governance, but to go further towards optimizing the water system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A powerful, detailed survey holds many examples and solutions for similar areas in the world
At first glance it's hard to see why this region-specific title would have wider-ranging applicability outside of the Netherlands of its focus - but wait, there's more! WATER POLICY IN THE NETHERLANDS: INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT IN A DENSELY POPULATED AREA is a solid reference for any college-level library strong in environmental resource management. Its examples follow water resource policy developments in a low-lying delta region with a high population density, tracing a history of water governance in the country from technological developments to water management approaches blending politics, history, economics and law. A powerful, detailed survey holds many examples and solutions for similar areas in the world.

Netherlands book
This is a great book about water policy in the Netherlands.It shows the amazing flood control projects there-- of obvious relevance to New Orleans and Florida. ... Read more

Product Description
In 32 Chapters written by top experts in the field, this comprehensive reference covers the latest engineering aspects of water treatment including quality management, water resource supply systems, and future applications. It also focuses extensively on the key problems of the '90s--the legal, economic, and policy issues--that determine portable water quantity and quality. This multifaceted case study in project management provides excellent global approach for water resource engineers, environmental engineers, civil engineers, water utility managers, and water scientists. ... Read more

Product Description
This pioneering study of the conflict over the naturalwater resources of geographic Palestine - Israel, the West Bank andthe Gaza Strip - is the first comprehensive examination of all theregion's shared water sources and the economics of their use inagriculture, households and industry.Dr. Elmusa's detailed survey ofthe surface and groundwater resources provides essential data forunderstanding both the extent and the limits of the water supply forIsraelis and Palestinians.By focusing on both the scarcity and thecommonality of the water resources, he demonstrates why water hasbecome 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 historicturning point in the conflict over water.He discusses in originaldetails how the principles of equitable utilization and jointmanagement of their common water resources can be achieved and canenhance the prospects for reducing conflict over water. Thus, how theconflict over water is resolved will test overall Palestinian-Israelicooperation. ... Read more

Customer 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

Product Description
The central challenge encountered by Arizona and many other arid regions in the world is keeping a sustainable water supply in the face of rapid population growth and other competing demands. This book highlights new approaches that Arizona has pioneered for managing its water needs. The state has burgeoning urban areas, large agricultural regions, water-dependent habitats for endangered fish and wildlife, and a growing demand for water-based recreation. A multi-year drought and climate-related variability in water supply complicate the intense competition for water. Written by well-known Arizona water experts, the essays in the book address these issues from academic, professional, and policy perspectives that include economics, climatology, law, and engineering. Among the innovations explored in the book is Arizona's Groundwater Management Act. Arizona is not alone in its challenges. As one of the seven states in the Colorado River Basin that depend heavily on the river, Arizona must cooperate, and sometimes compete, with other state, tribal, and federal governments. One institution that furthers regional cooperation is the water bank, which encourages groundwater recharge of surplus surface water during wet years so that the water remains available during dry years. The Groundwater Management Act imposes conservation requirements and establishes planning and investment programs in renewable water supplies. The essays in Arizona Water Policy are carefully edited so they are accessible for a broad policy-oriented and nonacademic readership. The book explores Arizona?s water management and extracts lessons that are important for arid and semi-arid areas worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Water in the Desert
I recall dire predictions in the 1950s that the Southwest would soon run out of water.Now, with the population of Arizona larger by several hundred percent, as if by magic there is still enough water. I read this book to find out how Arizona manages its small supply of water, a subject about which I know almost nothing.

There is no beautiful writing or art here; this book contains 15 workmanlike essays by scholars and experts on various aspects of water management.Hidden amidst a welter of acronyms and dry expositions -- pun intended -- are lots of facts and history. For example, 80 percent of Arizona's water supply still goes to agriculture even though the state now has about six million people.(Instead of growing cotton we don't need and have taxpayers subsidize the crop, I would rather see some of this water devoted to restoring Arizona's endangered wetlands or the Colorado River Delta in Mexico.)

I enjoyed the essay "Sustaining People, Habitats, and Ecosystems" which talks of trying to preserve scarce riverine environments in the face of ever-increasing demands for water by a growing population.Other items of interest included charts and maps showing climatic warming in Arizona over the last 70 years, precipitation statistics, details of droughts past, and expositions on groundwater and the Central Arizona Project which brings Colorado River Water to Phoenix and Tucson. I learned to my amazement about "groundwater replenishment" in which Arizona cities store their surplus waster in underground aquifers for later use.I puzzled over a chart showing that Tucson uses much less water per capita than Phoenix. Why?I'd like to know a bit more about that. I laughed at a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that he could foresee a time when Phoenix attained a population of 150,000 (present population 3 million).

In 200 pages the book offers to my simple mind a thorough account of Arizona water issues. This book will not attract the general reader, but it's good if you are a glutton for facts and curious about how water finds its way to your tap.

Smallchief

No Surprises Here
This is book touches on many of the tough water issues that Arizona faces in the future. The authors and contributors are well-respected (although, in my humble opinion, sometimes too jaded to be as innovative as I think water policy makers could be), and it's a good source to find other legal and some scientific information. You'll find that the sections are organized according to topic, which is very useful, though one should beware of some of the non-P.C. language that is used (there are a few references to the "tribal" nature of water, which I actually find somewhat offensive, given Arizona's large number of indigenous communities).

On a personal level, I'm still baffled by the idea that Arizona's non-conjuctive water policies (i.e. don't manage surface and groundwater together) are hailed as "progressive", which you'll find throughout this book as well as in other literature on Arizona's groundwater policies.

Generally, I would say this is a good place to begin for learning about AZ water polciy, but beware of the innovation paradigm that AZ's water policy makers would like you to believe about the state...it's not all it's cracked up to be. Having a critical eye is a good precaution, especially in this case. ... Read more

Product Description
This multifaceted collection looks at the key issues relating to water resources management in India with a focus on irrigation. According to the author, a proper study of water must recognize that their different aspects--physical, economic, and institutional-- are closely inter-related and that they are part of dynamic, historical process. ... Read more

Product Description
Numerical methods provide a powerful and essential tool for the solution of problems of water resources.This book gives an elementary introduction to the methods in current use.Their application to surface and subsurface flow and to water quality modelling are described in this useful volume, which contains many helpful references to the literature. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides an assessment of the effects of climate change on U.S. agriculture, land resources and biodiversity. It is one of a series of 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAP) that are being produced under the auspices of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP). This book builds on an extensive scientific literature and series of recent assessments of the historical and potential impacts of climate change and climate variability on managed and unmanaged ecosystems and their constituent biota and processes. It discusses the nation's ability to identify, observe, and monitor the stresses that influence agriculture, land resources, water resources, and biodiversity, and evaluates the relative importance of these stresses and how they are likely to change in the future. It identifies changes in resource conditions that are now being observed, and examines whether these changes can be attributed in whole or part to climate change.The general time horizon for this book is from the recent past through the period 2030-2050, although longer-term results out to 2100 are also considered. There is robust scientific consensus that human-induced climate change is occurring.Records of temperature and precipitation in the United States show trends consistent with the current state of global-scale understanding and observations of change. Observations also show that climate change is currently impacting the nation's ecosystems and services in significant ways, and those alterations are very likely to accelerate in the future, in some cases dramatically. Current observational capabilities are considered inadequate to fully understand and address the future scope and rate of change in all ecological sectors.Additionally, the complex interactions between change agents such as climate, land use alteration, and species invasion create dynamics that confound simple causal relationships and will severely complicate the development and assessment of mitigation and adaptation strategies. ... Read more

Product Description

This volume examines the various drivers of global change, including climate change, and the use of agricultural knowledge, science, and technology, as well as the outcomes of global change processes, including impacts on water quality and human well-being. Several authors examine potential policy and institutional solutions afforded by globalization to the challenges ahead, particularly the role of trade policy. Financing water development in a more globalized world and adapting to global warming are also examined.

Product Description

The evaluation of the water footprint and virtual water trade has become a promising means to evaluate the sustainability of a country’s water resources. This book is based on the research and results of a thorough study carried out for Spain, which serves as a leading case for a semi-arid country. The objective of this study was to assess and analyze Spain’s virtual water use and water footprint, differentiating the green and blue (surface and groundwater) components, both from a hydrological and economic perspective. This contributes to the water footprint and virtual water literature in several ways. By evaluating both water footprint and virtual water over time and at the provincial scale, the analysis allows for policy-relevant conclusions at the river basin level. By separating green and blue water components, and evaluating all crops at the provincial level, the study enables a finer analysis of how water footprint and virtual water vary during droughts and water shortages. The linkage between commodities trade and water scarcity was explored to determine the extent to which virtual water trade has the potential to deal with water-stressed periods. The analysis contained in this study includes both market and non-market dimensions and will appeal to researchers in both resource economics and hydrology as well as policy-makers concerned with water-related issues.

Product Description
Vandana Shiva, "the world's most prominent radical scientist" (the Guardian), exposes yet another corporate maneuver to convert a critical world resource into a profitable commodity. Using the global water trade as a lens, she highlights the destruction of the earth and the disenfranchisement of the world's poor as they lose their right to a life-sustaining common good. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Original, Grounded, a Foundation Book
Published in 2002, this is a foundation book within the twelve books on Water that I am reading, with all reviews both here and at Phi Beta Iota the Public Intelligence Blog where you can easily use Reviews/Water to see all my reviews of books on water.

Right up front the author impresses me with her discussion of the paradigm war--a culture clash--between those who see water as sacred and its provision as a duty for the preservation of water, and those that view water as a commodity and its exploitation for profit as a fundamental corporate right.

Up front she lists and discusses the key lessons she has drawn:

01Nondemocratic economic systems that centralize control over decision making and resources and displace people from productive employment and livelihoods create a culture of insecurity.

02Destruction of resource rights and erosion of democratic control of natural resources, the economy, and means of production undermine cultural identity.See my reviews of the Hidden Wealth of Nations, Identity Economics, and The Politics of Happiness.

03Centralized economic systems also erode the democratic base of politics.

I am sure she sets people off when she speaks of the "double fascism of globalization" as well as "corporate terrorism" but the bottom line is that corporate control of government is fascism, and its time We the People woke up to all the wrong that is being done "in our name."Those who really understand ecological economics as pioneered by Herman Daly understand that "true cost" is the measure, and that the truth at any cost reduces all other costs.This is a book of truths, including the truth that the computer industry is a bigger water polluter than traditional companies.

The entire book is a "tour of the horizon" that captures the essence of what is covered in more depth in the other books listed below.I am especially taken with her Principles of Water Democracy:

01Water is nature's gift
02Water is essential to life.
03Life is interconnected through water.
04Water must be free for sustenance needs.
05Water is limited and can be exhausted.
06Water must be conserved.
07Water is a commons.
08No one holds a right to destroy.
09Water cannot be substituted.

The author skirts topics covered in more depth in such books at The Next Catastrophe: Reducing Our Vulnerabilities to Natural, Industrial, and Terrorist Disasters; and Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America, so this is by no means an end all book, but it is a foundation book.We are the ones responsible for environmental degradation including the paving over of wetlands and the damming of rivers as well as the ignorant and complacent externalization by corporations of all environmental costs of water exploitation they do not own and should not be allowed to expropriate.

Chapters on the global corporate control network including the World Bank, and on the unsustainable costs of industrialized agriculture.Her final two chapters (this is a short book, quick read, excellent notes) focus on the importance of both indigenous knowledge in conserving every drop of water, and on the importance of assuring that natural resources are properly valued and not just commoditized with financial values that are at best arbitrary if not downright corrupt.I am reminded of both 1491, and of E. O. Wilson's The Future of Life.

Other books I have reviewed or am reviewing this week include:

The Atlas of Water, Second Edition: Mapping the World's Most Critical Resource
Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource
The World's Water 2008-2009: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources
The Evolution of the Law and Politics of Water
Governing Water: Contentious Transnational Politics and Global Institution Building (Global Environmental Accord: Strategies for Sustainability and Institutional Innovation)
Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization
Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water
Whose Water Is It?: The Unquenchable Thirst of a Water-Hungry World
Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water
The Blue Death: The Intriguing Past and Present Danger of the Water You Drink

Inspiring, but be wary, readers
Resource scarcity has been the basis of arguably most of the world's deadliest and longest-lasting conflicts. From wars waged in the Democratic Republic of Congo over precious minerals to multinational conflicts between countries along the Tigris and Euphrates, the access and control of resources have been causes in substantial loss of ecological integrity and human lives. In her book Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Profit, Vandana Shiva demonstrates the deadly effects of current water resource management practices and the "water wars" that have risen from recent policies. Shiva defines water wars as being either a traditional war, fought with weapons and strategy, or a paradigm war, a subtler conflict with deep roots in socioeconomic systems.

In an expressive manner, Shiva introduces the recent water problems as rooted in major shifts in the management of this resource. The first chapter sets-up the dichotomy between the traditional management of water and a market-based approach to resource ownership. According to Shiva, "more than any other resource, water needs to remain a common good and requires community management" (19). In her home country of India and in many other traditional societies throughout time, this was, and in a few remaining cases, is still the wisdom that dictates the use of water. A change in management principles, from a communally-held necessity to a privately-owned commodity, lead to the complete disregard of inherent human rights. People began to take a backseat to corporate interests, and Shiva structures chapters 2-5 as forum to analyze how the alteration of management has led to intense conflict. Broad topics she expands upon in this section of the book include climate change, the diversion and damming of rivers, the production of food, and large international governing organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the World Bank. All of these chapters reassert how power in managing water has shifted from many hands to an elite few. Like in all wars, the conflicts presented here describe the definite threats to their security and livelihood with the loss of their personal control.

Water Wars is well thought-out and sincere approach to current water crises. My attention was held the entire time through the clever interplay of anecdotes, case studies, and hard science. The struggle between traditional systems and capitalism remained a pervasive theme throughout the book, and examples of injustice and abuse were constantly emerging. There were times when I had to put the book down because my sentiments and emotions were on high alert; Shiva uses her grace and knowledge to present issues from India, a place so near to her heart. Still, it goes without saying that this book definitely lacked as a piece of academic literature. Although this was a very impassioned and comprehensive book, I found Water Wars to be written rather haphazardly and with little regard to academic integrity. Even though it is only 139 pages, the book manages to become rather redundant by the end. Shiva never maintained an unbiased approach to the topic, making it a heavy-handed ridicule neocolonialism. I sometimes felt as if I were listening to a broken record. Yet, her solutions for altering the way we manage water are inspiring, calling for citizens to become engaged in the fight towards gaining shared power of natural resources. Shiva also does an excellent job of weaving in cultural and spiritual attitudes towards water bodies.

In conclusion, Water Warsby Vandana Shiva is a thorough investigation of the social justice issues that surround the administration of water. It is an excellent text for someone desiring a positional account of resource allocation and management, as well as an involved activists perspective on the topic. This book, however, is not a stepping stone into the scientific and academic assessment of water crises; it is far too loaded with personal voice and opinion to be considered a candidate for unbiased literature. If you are in the market for a book on sensational water politics, then look no further.

Informative but lacking...
After reading Water Wars and going back through some things in the book I believe that many people will find this book interesting and informative.Shiva seems to believe that the root of all these wars is our disconnection from the water.We turn on a faucet and voila, water.Who cares where it came from, how much there is or where it's going.Now, take that and mix it with socio-political-economic factors and you can see why we are just beginning to see the emergence of water wars.

Those looking for any sort of solution towater wars should look elsewhere.She has the grassroots mentality that water need not be privatized but run and managed by the people who use it.I fully agree but the problem remains this is simply impossible for the majority of systems already entrenched.

Ultimately, if you have an interest in the state of water on a global scale this is a good book to get you started and asking questions.

P.S. I believe John Wesley Powell was quoted out of context on pg. 54.I have a hard time imagining that Powell said that rivers are wasting into the sea in the context of we should dam the Colorado.

The Single Most Important Book You Can Read Today
the global water crisis is the biggest issue we will face in our lifetimes and not much is being done. This book puts things in a human light and makes solutions seem possible.
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Don't waste your money
Written by a so called academic, this is a series of essays which nevershould have been published. Over -priced and over reviewed,whoever approved of publishing this travesty should be fired. ... Read more

Product Description

Design and Build Safe, Efficient Systemsfor Irrigation and Water Supply

Water Wells and Pumps is a comprehensive guide to the essential theory and design of ground water structures, wells/tube wells, and pumps, with particular emphasis on problem solving and meeting the requirements of developing nations. It features thorough, up-to-date knowledge of the science and technology of water wells and pumps as well as allied appliances and applications.

This authoritative desk reference outlines the construction, operation, and maintenance of water wells for irrigation and water supply. It also presents the development and testing of tube wells as well as a variety of pumps, both location-specific. Using SI units exclusively, Water Wells and Pumps features:

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Customer Reviews (1)

Water Wells and Pump
As the first page of the book i have is missing, i could not know what year it was published. Anyway it was designed to teach students in India how to get water from the ground (developing country).
Content is quite professional : a lot of equations and math (i dont know how they collect parameters), but some data is basic to all wells and underground water anyway.
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Is definitely a manual for students : at the end of each chapter are problems to solve and questions to answer. Strives to be comprehensive : 700 pages and a lot of sketches.
Filip Marceron ... Read more