Water Resources in the Arid Realm (Routledge Physical Environment) Book

Population growth, industrialization, environmental mismanagement and consequent land degradation have led to droughts, poverty and famine of such magnitude that the need for space, food and natural resources has become the most critical issue in global development. Nowhere is crisis more apparent than in arid lands. In this part of the world, population has more than doubled in two decades and poverty and human suffering are endemic. Water resources provide the key to economic and environmental development. The authors of this book dispel some of the myths that surround the water resource problems of arid lands and the notion that there are simple "once and for all" solutions. Given that the arid land environment is highly variable the key to success is flexibility. Successful adaptations in arid lands are characterized by an appreciation of the vagaries of the natural environment. "Water Resources in the Arid Realm" is divided into four sections, dealing with the geography of the arid realm; the water resource problems they face; the methods available for enhancing water supplies and finally the management of this resource. This book should be of interest to undergraduates, postgraduates and academics in physical geography, environmental science and development studies, as well as those actively involved in the development of arid land water resources.Read More