Book Reviews

Integrated Water Resources Management in Practice: Better Water Management for Development , R. Lenton and M. Muller ( Editors ). Earthscan , 22883 Quicksilver Dr., Sterling, Virginia 20166-2012 . 2009 . 228 pages. $78 . ISBN 978-1-84407-650-5 . This book is a welcome addition to the literature promoting integrated water resources management (IWRM). Robert Lenton and Mike Muller make a strong case for better management of water resources using the IWRM approach, widely recognized as the most appropriate way to address a wide range of water-related development and environmental issues confronting mankind today. The presentation of recent achievements and future possibilities in equitably and sustainably managing water resources toward meeting economic and social goals and insure environmental integrity in different parts of the world may be considered a benchmark that bodes well for further progress. The book begins with an introduction to the principles and practices of IWRM, which remain poorly understood, even in the water sector and development arena. This chapter also outlines the conceptual framework used in this book, which sets it apart from other publications. This includes a focus not only on processes in IWRM (e.g., changes in policy, laws, and organizational structures) but also the ultimate outcome and impact of using this approach, rendering the book as a much needed practical guide for planners and practitioners. The four spatially structured parts of the book take the reader from the local to the basin, national, and transnational levels. Twelve of the 14 chapters present case studies in East and Southeast Asia (five chapters), Africa and Latin America (two chapters each), and in Europe, North America, and Australia (one chapter each). The case studies document how better water management guided by the IWRM approach significantly contributed to achieve a large number of development goals in different communities and countries with different socioeconomic and environmental conditions and scales. While the editors duly acknowledge the challenge of deriving overall conclusions about what works and what does not work in different settings, they are able to succinctly and convincingly distill the various strands running through the book in the Conclusion. By considering the major objectives, processes, and outcomes of good water management, the management of water at different scales, and the nature of the IWRM approach itself in the context of the various chapter studies, they conclude that in all of the cases described the basic approach that was applied recognized the following elements: (1) the unitary nature of the water resource that recognizes the interconnectedness of surface, ground, and evaporated water, (2) the physical interventions that could be adopted to manage it, (3) the limits to those physical interventions, and (4) the need for an institutional framework that brought stakeholders together in an equitable manner and gave voice to both the weak and powerful, sought to achieve a balance of interests among them, identified the environmental dimension of water management and developed organizations able to promote the overall approach. The editors further note that these elements utilized in nearly all cases presented in the book were not considered to be explicit applications of the IWRM approach but rather began before the concept was formalized (as in India, Chile, Japan, Mexico, and China) or were incidental (in South Africa and Australia). These facts help to dispel the notion that IWRM is an unrealistic, overly ambitious approach and a fixed prescription that requires the employment of all available tools in its arsenal or a magic bullet. Similarly, the focus on individual tools has tended to hamper water management and the establishment of river basin organizations as a routine first step has played only a secondary role in improving water management in many cases (in South Africa and Chile, for example) and no role in others (Japan and Denmark). These findings strengthen the editors’ argument that IWRM offers a flexible and adaptable framework within which a wide range of water and development problems in different communities and countries can be addressed. Also highlighted in the Conclusion are remaining challenges in applying IWRM in practice. They include overcoming implementation difficulties at the macro-level; finding the proper mix of formal and informal mechanisms in operations; the need for more flexible as well as community-specific and system-wide planning and management rather than blueprint packages in many developing countries; and challenges for integration arising at the interface between water, sectoral, territorial, and organizational systems, particularly governance and participation issues at the international transboundary level. The writing style is lucid and captivating and the focus on real world examples rather than theoretical constructs captivate the inquisitive mind, making it difficult to put the book down. The few typographical errors do not detract from the quality of the presentation. Three relatively minor technical problems – the use of the same gray tones for different categories of water stress indicators in Figure 1.1 instead of using a color scheme, the poor print quality of this world map (all other figures in the book are excellent), and the weak binding I noticed on my paperback copy – should not detract from the intrinsic value of this well conceived and meticulously researched book. As a geographer interested in Third World water resources management and water-related health problems I enjoyed reading the broadly based case studies presented in this much needed book. Planners, water managers, researchers, and students will want to have a copy on their shelves for reference, guidance, and inspiration. Helmut Kloos Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics University of California San Francisco, California 94134-0560 E-mail: helmutk@comcast.net The Sustainable Management of Groundwater in Canada , The Expert Panel on Groundwater . Council of Canadian Academies , 180 Elgin St., Ste. 1401, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 2K3 . 2009 . 253 pages . ISBN 978-1-926558-09-7 . I enthusiastically agreed to review this book, The Sustainable Management of Groundwater in Canada (Groundwater) penned by the Expert Panel on Groundwater (Panel) not only because I have a great interest in sustainability issues but also because I had heard much in the popular press about the Athabasca Oil Sands project and I hoped the Panel would discuss energy production and sustainable use of water – I was not disappointed on either count. I do not want to mislead the reader though –Groundwater covers a wide range of topics from governance to flow modeling to markets and case studies. Although Groundwater was written explicitly for or from a Canadian perspective, many if not all of the topics are applicable to work in other countries. Many of the authors that served on the Panel are instantly recognizable names with groundwater and hydrology experience garnered from across the globe (interestingly, but not surprisingly, many of these world renowned authors work in Canada); this breadth and depth of expertise helps to make Groundwater a relatively easy to read book especially given the complex nature of groundwater and sustainability. There are too many topics to discuss in detail in this review. Still, to give the reader a sense of this book, some of the salient topics are reviewed here. The Panel identified five sustainability goals to include protection of groundwater from depletion and contamination, protection of ecosystem viability, achievement of economic and social well being and application of good governance; these individual sustainability goals are envisioned as equal members in the schematic put forth by the Panel. This reader agrees that this pentad of sustainability goals should be implemented in future projects although if history teaches us anything, in practice, these goals might not enjoy equal strength or standing; the Panel offers case studies that illustrate the importance of the implementation of (or, sadly, as the case may be, lack of) sustainability goals. Part of the appeal of Groundwater is the ability of the Panel to explain abstruse concepts by the judicious use of footnotes and many well written topic-boxes. One such footnote on page 17 helps exemplify the pedagogical tenor of Groundwater and (a portion of this particular footnote) is well worth repeating here: “The precautionary principle seeks to encourage those undertaking projects to consider and address harm to the public or the environment even if the scientific consensus that harm will occur is unclear.” Unfortunately, it seems from some of the case studies discussed here, all too often, the precautionary principle has not been applied in many cases. An example of topic-box discussions is given on page 113, where the Panel expands on topics such as the Tragedy of the Commons and water. I cannot help but wonder if present day appropriation schemata, such as the doctrine of prior appropriation, riparian rights, correlative rights, rule of capture, etc., have helped to perpetuate the tragedy. Hopefully, some day soon, the Tragedy of the Commons will be relegated to a footnote in history. The Panel discusses many case studies to help illustrate the effects of climate change (Prairie Groundwater), population growth (Denver Basin), and energy production (Athabasca Oil Sands) on sustainable use of water. Groundwater incites some mental rumination (and this is why I am excited by this type of book) – each of these case studies could also be seen to show how climate change, population growth, and energy production also affect another timely topic – food production and economic security. It should be noted that the Panel briefly discusses bio-fuel production generally – presumably because this topic and technology is in an almost mercurial state of flux. However, probably one of the most important topics discussed in Groundwater concerns the use of “... economic instruments such as water prices, abstraction fees, and tradable permits...” to help manage water. This of course could be seen to be a point of contention in places where present day appropriation rules govern water allocations. Given the stressors that affect water such as climate change, population growth, and food and energy security, economic instruments might offer an attractive means to equitably manage water resources (to be fair the significance of these stressors might not have been recognized in earlier times when various appropriation rules were enacted). The Panel notes numerical modeling simulation studies that “...show a significant improvement in the efficiency of water allocation (relative to current allocations) as a result of water trades.” In the face of these changes in climate and population, it may be time to heed these tocsins presented in the various case studies and perhaps consider a retooling of management and regulations schema. In sum, The Sustainable Management of Groundwater in Canada, is an easy to read book written by an expert panel of world renowned water experts. The topics are fresh and timely and applicable both in Canada as well as other parts of the world. I am glad that I read the book and would suggest that it be included on a must-read list to colleagues. Kevin Jeffrey Spelts Twin Platte Natural Resources District, 302 S. Oak St., North Platte, Nebraska 69101 Fluvial Hydraulics , L. Dingman . Oxford University Press , 198 Madison Ave., New York, New York 10016 . 2009 . 559 pages . ISBN 978-0-19-517286-7 . I became familiar with Professor Dingman’s work when I used his Fluvial Hydrology (Dingman, 1984, now out of print) for my graduate work in channel morphology and sediment transport. Fluvial Hydraulics builds upon the geomorphology and fluvial hydraulics presented in Fluvial Hydrology, but Dingman’s new book includes more information on basic-fluid mechanics and a more extensive discussion of the characteristics of natural rivers. Dingman’s preface to Fluvial Hydraulics states that “The overall goal of this book is to develop a sound qualitative and quantitative understanding of the physics of natural river flows for practitioners and students.” That goal is most certainly met. Fluvial-hydraulics concepts, from basic hydraulic relationships to complex phenomena such as turbulence and hydraulic jumps, are clearly presented. The equation derivations are logical and fairly easy to understand. The figures and photographs are clear and complement understanding of the text. Examples and additional derivations are presented in boxes for the reader who is interested in a deeper understanding of the material. Dingman begins with an Introduction that describes volumes of water in the components of the hydrologic cycle and in the world’s largest rivers. The Introduction also includes a fascinating history of fluvial hydraulics and personalities that advanced the science. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 provide a foundation for the study of open-channel flow. In Chapter 2, Dingman discusses the morphologic and hydrologic characteristics of natural streams; in Chapter 3, he describes water’s atomic and molecular structure and other properties. Then, in Chapter 4, Dingman introduces the basic equations for fluid properties and hydraulic variables, including relationships based on the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, and equations based on diffusion and force/balance relationships. Equations based on dimensional analysis and empirical and heuristic relations also are described. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 present relationships between velocity and flow resistance, the Prandtl-von Karman vertical-velocity profile, the Chezy, Darcy-Weisbach, and Manning’s equations, and magnitudes of driving and resisting forces in natural streams. The next two chapters discuss momentum and energy principles, equations for gradually-varied flow, and methods for calculating water-surface profiles. In Chapter 10, Dingman describes steady, rapidly-varied flow, including analysis of hydraulics at abrupt transitions and structures for discharge measurement. In Chapter 11, he discusses unsteady flow, including an excellent description of waves and prediction of wave depths and speed of travel. In Chapter 12, he discusses sediment entrainment and transport, including sediment-transport measurement, factors that dictate the shape of alluvial channel cross sections, and flow competence. Appendix A presents thorough discussions on dimensions, units, and numerical precision. In lieu of problems or exercises, Dingman provides online spreadsheets for flow databases, synthetic channel hydraulics, and water-surface profile computations. These spreadsheets are described in Appendices B, C, and D. I was unable to reach the website at the URL included in the text, but found the spreadsheets at this URL by searching the publisher’s website: http://www.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780195172867/?view=usa. I was unable to find the links to other fluvial geomorphologic websites or discussion pages noted in the introduction. The book will be useful for an undergraduate-level or graduate-level class in channel hydraulics and morphology, for students with an understanding of basic calculus and university-level physics. For civil engineers, the book is a valuable companion to classic open-channel texts because it includes extensive discussions and applications focused on natural streams. For researchers, practitioners, and students in the natural-resources sciences, the book provides clear and complete discussions of open-channel flow that do not require a theoretical background in fluid mechanics to understand. This book will spend more time on my desk than on my shelf; I will refer to it often. Katherine J. Chase, PE 541 Diehl Dr. Helena, Montana 59601 The World’s Water: 2008-2009, The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources , P.H. Gleick with H. Cooley , M.J. Cohen , M. Morikawa , J. Morrison , and M. Palaniappan . Island Press , 1718 Connecticut Ave. NW, Ste. 300, Washington, D.C. 20009 . 2008 . 402 pages. $35 . ISBN 978-1-59726-505-8 . The First Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources for the world by Peter H. Gleick was issued in 1998. The Sixth Biennial Report by Peter H. Gleick and his associates is the latest version and covers the period 2008-2009. The series continues to be an invaluable collection of all kinds of water-related material, ranging from concise stand-alone chapters on important topics to numerous sections of data that have been updated as much as possible given the mix of reporting countries. A sampling of some of the six discussion chapters that are at the beginning of the book of 402 pages should provide the reader a good sense of the nature of the material. The first chapter by M. Palaniappan and P. H. Gleick on “Peak Water” provides an interesting discussion of the similarities and differences between oil and water. The importance of ocean water desalination is that the amount is unlimited, but the problem is how much we are willing to pay for it. In areas where water is really scarce, such as selected islands in the Caribbean and certain parts of the Persian Gulf, desalination is already becoming an “economically competitive alternative.” Chapter 2 on “Business Reporting on Water” by M. Morikawa, J. Morrison, and P. H. Gleick provides a useful accounting of corporate reporting of non-financial environmental information in annual reports that started in the 1970s. These non-financial reports have grown from fewer than 50 in 1992 to over 1,900 in 2005 and 2,470 by 2007. As expected, water management and use reporting by major corporations vary from industry to industry. In addition, and regrettably, most corporations rarely report on water recycling and reuse. The next chapter by H. Cooley deals with water management in a changing climate. A sampling of some of the water resource issues associated with climate change include the following: (1) climate change will affect the quantity and timing of surface runoff, (2) groundwater is less understood than surface water and sea level rise could result in greater saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers, and (3) agriculture accounts for 70-80% of global water use and lawns in hot, dry areas can account for 70% of total residential water use. Even in developed countries, water infrastructure that was designed and operated on historic water conditions may become a problem in the future. In 2002, 1.1 billion people did not have access to improved water supply and 2.6 billion did not have access to improved sanitation. Of particular interest is the section from pages 151-193 by P. H. 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