Balancing Water for Humans and Nature The New Approach in Ecohydrology

Falkenmark (Stockhold International Water Inst.) and Rockstrom (UNESCO-IHE Inst. For Water Education, The Netherlands) have written an excellent book that bridges hydrology and ecology. The authors advocate an ecohydrological approach to water management based on the principle that rainfall, not runoff, constitutes the basic freshwater resource. The strong links between soil, water, plants, and the atmosphere are evident when rainfall is partitioned 'green' water vapor flow from evaporation and transpiration and 'blue' liquid water flow in rivers, lakes, and aquifers. With proper management, green water needs for producing food and maintaining natural biomass growth may be reduced, thereby securing more blue water for sustaining ecosystems and human activities. This book focuses on four areas: water supply to humans and industry, water in the plant production process, water as an active participant in generating environmental impacts from human activities, and water's implication in times of drought. The fundamental issue addressed by the authors is the socioecohydrological balance between the beneficial use of water for goods and services (e.g., food, fiber, energy and the protection and sustenance of essential ecosystem functions. This well-written, informative book makes a valuable contribution to the water management literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels, especially ecologists and hydrologists.--M. J. Zwolinski, University of Arizona in CHOICE