The study of water resources crosses disciplinary boundaries, from geography and natural resources, to Earth sciences, environmental studies, and engineering. Since not all students come to the water-resources course with the same mathematical background, Clausen's effective, practical presentation integrates topics related to water quantity and water quality. He emphasizes fundamental concepts throughout: the qualitative foundations of hydrology needed to understand the hydrologic cycle and water availability, as well as the physical, chemical, and biological principles underlying water quality. Important social-science issues, including water law and regulations, the economic principles of water supply and demand, and sustainable water management, contextualize the material.
Abundant illustrations and purposeful examples reinforce chapter content. End-of-chapter problems provide opportunities for readers to practice the calculations needed for real-world applications.
Two different resources can be downloaded
here:
1. Water Laws, Regulations, and Standards: contains the full text of various US laws related to water resources that are discussed in chapter 19.
2. Structured Experiences: four in-depth student exercises designed to foster hands-on learning in teams; these exercises accompany the content of chapters 4, 5, 10, and 18.
"I like the level at which the author treats each topic and appreciate how he integrates watershed science, applications, and management." — Thomas Benzing, James Madison University
"The text is full of the most important information in the field. It has good diagrams and is easy to read." — Robert Korenic, Youngstown State University
Part I: WATER QUANTITY
1. Introduction
Purpose of This Book / What Is Water? / Water Resources Problems / Properties of Water and Their Ecological Implications / Top Ten Concepts in Water Resources
2. Water Resources Units
Unit Conversions / Significant Digits / Water Quantity Units / Water Quality Units / Review of Log Rules
3. Hydrologic Cycle
Storages and Fluxes / Water Balance / How to Construct an Annual Water Budget
4. Precipitation
Types of Storms / Measurement of Precipitation / Average Precipitation Methods / Precipitation Frequency Analysis / Errors in Precipitation Measurements
5. Interception
Measurement of Interception / Factors Affecting Interception Loss
6. Evapotranspiration
Importance / Factors Affecting ET / Measurement of ET / PET vs. ET
7. Infiltration and Soil Water
Infiltration / Soil Water
8. Ground Water
Ground Water Flow / Effect of a Well / Flow Nets
9. Streamflow
Components of Streamflow / Time of Concentration / Basin Lag / Hydrograph Separation / Streamflow Measurement / Flood Frequency Analysis / Uncertainties in Estimating Discharge
10. Watershed Management
Water Yield / Streamflow Pattern / Forest (Vegetation) Management / Snowpack Management / Urban Watershed Management / Reservoir Watershed Management
Part II: WATER QUALITY
11. Introduction to Water Quality
Water Quality Definitions / Sources of Pollution / Magnitude of the Water Quality Problem / Soil Quality
12. Physical Characteristics of Water
Turbidity / Solids (Residue) / Odor / Temperature / Color / Conductivity
13. Chemical Characteristics of Water
Common Chemical Characteristics of Water / Classification of Chemicals in Water / Important Chemical Constituents of Water / Methods of Analysis
14. Biological Characteristics of Water
Plankton / Macroinvertebrates / Macrophytes / Pathogens in Water / Bioassay
15. River Water Quality
Physical Processes in Rivers / Other River Processes / Biological Characteristics of Rivers / Chemical Characteristics of Rivers / Dissolved Oxygen
16. Lakes and Reservoir Water Quality
Physical Limnology / Biological Characteristics of Lakes / Chemical Characteristics of Lakes / Lake Restoration
17. Soil and Ground Water Quality
Soil Water / Ground Water
18. Best Management Practices
Urban Stormwater BMPs / Agricultural Practices / Silvicultural Practices
Part III: WATER AND SOCIETY
19. Water Laws, Regulations, and Standards
Water Quality / Federal Regulations and Rules / Water Quantity
20. Water Policy
Policy Formulation / Water Availability and Use / International Water Policy / Water and Environmental Justice / Sustainable Water Management
21. Water Economics
The Water Market / Demand for Water / Supply of Water / Supply and Demand / Elasticity / Water Externalities / Costs of Production / More on Efficiency / Economic Policy Analysis / Water Pricing / Cost-Benefit Analysis / Direct and Indirect Economic Effects
Appendix: Conversion Factors