Book Reviews

Models – Repositories of Knowledge (IAHS Pub. 355), S.E. Oswald, O. Kolditz, and S. Attinger (Editors). IAHS Press (jilly@iahs.demon.co.uk). 2012. 370 pages. £77. ISBN 978-1-907-161-346. This collection of papers focuses on the calibration of groundwater models, especially as applied to environmental hydrological effects. The book includes 51 papers and is divided into seven sections: (1) Parameter Estimation; (2) Uncertainty; (3) Numerical and Computational Methods; (4) Reactive Transport and Bioremediation; (5) Stochastic and Multi-Scale Models; (6) Coupled Processes in the Subsurface; and (7) Groundwater Flow and Climate. Wildfire and Water Quality: Processes, Impacts and Challenges (IAHS Pub. 354), M. Stone, A. Collins, and M. Thomas (Editors). IAHS Press (jilly@iahs.demon.co.uk). 2012. 122 pages. £40. ISBN 978-1-907-161-322. This book is a collection of 15 papers from an international conference. Most of the papers discuss the effects on sedimentation following wildfires, although ecosystem issues are also addressed. Other paper themes include hillslope hydrology, the effects of wildfires on soils, and management actions that can be applied. Erosion and Sediment Yields in the Changing Environment (IAHS Pub. 356), Collins, A., Golosov, V., Horowitz, A., Lu, Xi, Stone, M., Walling, D., and Zhang, X.. IAHS Press (jilly@iahs.demon.co.uk). 2012. 451 pages. £90. ISBN 978-1-907-161-339. The 54 papers published in this volume, which includes 4 keynote papers, aim to advance our understanding of the processes of erosion and sediment production in a world that is increasingly affected by anthropogenic activities. The papers are separated into the following five sections: (1) Dynamics of Erosion and Sediment Transport in Fluvial Systems; (2) Impacts of Climate Change and Human Activities on Erosion and Sediment Yield; (3) Erosion and Sediment Yield Modeling; (4) Mountain Hazards and Debris Flows; and (5) Monitoring and Tracing Methodology. Achieving Water Security: Lessons from Research in Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Ethiopia, P. Calow, E. Ludi, and J. Tucker (Editors). Stylus Publishing, LLC, 22883 Quicksilver Dr., Sterling, Virginia 20166-2012. 2013. 202 pages. $38 (paper). ISBN 978-1-85339-764-6. The content of this book is based on field research and interviews with the intent of achieving water security in sub-Saharan Africa. Institutional and political factors are discussed. The eight chapters are: (1) Ethiopia's Water Resources, Policies, and Institutions; (2) WASH Sector Monitoring; (3) Innovative Approaches for Extending Access to Water Services; (4) Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Rural Communities; (5) Sustainability of Water Services in Ethiopia; (6) Water for Livelihood Resilience, Food Security, and Poverty Reduction; (7) Responding to Climate Variability and Change; and (8) Policy and Practice Influence Through Research. The Mad, Mad, Mad World of Climatism: Mankind and Climate Change Mania, Goreham, S.. New Lenox Books, Inc., New Lenox, Illinois 60451 (newlenoxbooks@comcast.net). 2013. 247 pages. ISBN 978-0-9824-996-9-6. From the Introduction to the book: “This book will take a common-sense look at global warming mania. We'll provide a down-to-earth discussion of the science, which increasingly shows that natural cycles of Earth are the dominant cause of climate change — not man-made greenhouse gas emissions. We'll discuss how climate science has been corrupted and look at the money and special interests that continue to drive the dogma of Climatism forward. We'll discuss renewable energy, which is proposed as a primary solution to stop climate change.” In the 13 chapters, the author presents discussions on “…the biggest whoppers of global warming mania.” The author also claims that the “…alarming claims about Earth's icecaps and weather…are not supported by scientific data.” This should be an entertaining read for anyone interested in the subject. An Introduction to the Chemistry of the Sea ( Second Edition), Pilson, M.E.Q.. Cambridge University Press, 100 Brook Hill Dr., West Nyack, New York 10994-2133. 2013. 524 pages. $80. ISBN 978-0-521-88707-6. This new edition provides students in oceanography, marine chemistry, and biogeochemistry with an introduction to important tools. It highlights the interactions between the ocean, solid earth, atmosphere, and climate, enabling students to appreciate the interconnectedness of Earth's processes and systems. The huge variations in the ocean's chemical environment, from surface waters to deep waters, are discussed. Contested Water: The Struggle Against Privatization in the United States and Canada, Robinson, J.L.. The MIT Press, 55 Hayward St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142. 2013. 236 pages. ISBN 978-0-262-51839-0. Attempts by local governments to privatize water services have met with furious opposition. The book examines local social movement organizing against water privatization looking closely at battles for control of local water services. Factors that shape the struggles for control of water are analyzed. The content is based on interviews with many of the stakeholders, including policymakers, political leaders, and movement activists. The global forces that shape local movements are also discussed. Floods: From Risk to Opportunity, A. Chavoshian and K. Takeuchi (Editors). IAHS Press, Center for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK. 2013. 468 pages. £96. ISBN 978-1-907-161-35-3. The number of people exposed to floods is expected to rise as the frequency of floods increases due to urbanization and population growth in flood prone areas, land use changes, climate change, and sea level rise. A paradigm shift from focusing on emergency response and recovery to flood risk management is required to build the capacity necessary to cope with the floods. This collection of 49 papers is divided into the following four sections: (1) Flood Risk Management: Prevention, Mitigation, and Adaptation; (2) Flood Disaster Management: Preparedness, Emergency Response, and Recovery; (3) Flood Forecasting and Early Warning Systems; and (4) Flood Management in Different Climate Conditions and Geographic Zones. Runoff Prediction in Ungaged Basins: Synthesis across Processes, Places, and Scales, G. Bloschl, M. Sivapalan, T. Wagener, A. Viglione, and H. Savenije (Editors). Cambridge University Press, 100 Brook Hill Dr., West Nyack, New York 10994-2133. 2013. 465 pages. $140. ISBN 978-1-107-028-180. Predicting runoff in the mostly ungauged catchment areas is vital to practical applications such as the design of drainage infrastructure and flooding defenses. For runoff forecasting and for catchment management tasks such as water allocation and climate impact analysis. The chapters in this book synthesize decades of rigorous analytical research, forming a holistic approach to catchment hydrology, and providing a one-stop resource for hydrologists. It brings together results from individual location-based studies with comparative analyses along gradients of climate and landscape features. Topics include data for runoff regionalization and the prediction of runoff hydrographs, flow duration curves, flow paths and residence times, annual and seasonal runoff, and floods. Illustrated with many case studies, this book was written by expert intentional authors. A final chapter provides recommendation for researchers and practitioners. The content of the book will be of value to hydrologists, ecologists, geographers, soil scientists, environmental engineers, and professionals working with runoff from ungauged basins. The book includes excellent graphics and illustrations. Hillslope Hydrology and Stability, Lu, N. and Godt, J.W.. Cambridge University Press, 100 Brook Hill Dr., West Nyack, New York 10994-2133. 2013. 437 pages. $90. ISBN 978-1-107-021-068. Landslides occur when hillslopes become mechanically unstable and pose a serious threat to human environments in their proximity. The mechanical balance with hillslopes is governed by two coupled physical processes: hydrologic or subsurface flow and stress. This book presents the cutting-edge quantitative approach to understanding hydro-mechanical processes in hillslopes, and to the study and prediction of rainfall-induced landslides. Combining hydrology, geomorphology, and geomechanics, the book provides an interdisciplinary analysis that integrates the mechanical and hydrologic processes that govern landslide occurrence. Topics covered include a historic synthesis of hillslope geomorphology and hydrology, total and effective stress distributions, critical reviews of shear strength of hillslope materials, and different bases for stability analysis.

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