This book addresses the fundamental requirement for an interdisciplinary catchment based approach to managing and protecting water resources that crucially includes an understanding of land use and its management. In this approach the hydrological cycle links mountains to the sea, and ecosystems in rivers, groundwaters, lakes, wetlands, estuaries and coasts forming an essential continuum directly influenced by human activity.
The book provides a synthesis of current and future thinking in catchment management, and shows how the specific problems that arise in water use policy can be addressed within the context of an integrated approach to management. The book is written for advanced students, researchers, fellow academics and water sector professionals such as planners and regulators. The intention is to highlight examples and case studies that have resonance not only within natural sciences and engineering but with academics in other fields such as socio-economics, law and policy.
Chapter structure:.The proposed Handbook has the following suggested format.1. Introductory chapter including a treatise of the development of multisectoral policy the challenges of the WFD and our current thinking in relation to delivering catchment based, ecologically relevant management..2. Catchment Management for... - Sectoral Chapters. * Nature conservation . i. Case study * Flood control and management . i. Case study * Fisheries and aquaculture . i. Case study * Water resource management (ecologically acceptable flows) . i. Case study * Agricultural Land Management . i. Case study * Groundwater protection . i. Case study * Waste and effluent management * Traditional pollutants such as BOD and DO . i. Case study * New priority substances such as oestrogenics . i. Case study * Urban hydrology (storm water management) . i. Case study * Coastal and Estuarine waters including Bathing Waters . i. Case study * Agricultural production (including irrigation and saline management) . i. Case study * Potable supply . i. Case study * Power generation . i. Case study * Community benefit/ Aesthetics . i. Case study..3. Catchment Management - Chapters on integrated Flagship basin studies.Propose four to five chapters on specific basins where there has been an integrated approach to muli-issue management, including cross-border issues. These could include Murray Darling (Australia), Rhine (Europe), Mekong (Asia), Loire (Europe)..4. Synthesis (the Editors will provide a synthesis of opportunities for integrated management, and future research requirements in the delivery of integrated management).Structure:.For each of the Sectoral Chapters listed under (2), we propose that they are paired with short Case Study that provides a pertinent example of the current understanding of the science and its practical implementation. These will be selected in discussion with the lead author of each of the Sectoral Chapters and will be written in a popular "boxed" text style including illustrations and black and white photographs where possible. The principle Chapters will have a length of approximately 10,000 plus diagrams (50-60 pages) with short Case Studies being up to 3,000 words. Flagship Basin Chapters would have an expected length of 5,000 words. The introductory Chapter should aim to be 5,000 words and the Synopsis approximately 3-5,000. Each article would be prefaced by an appropriate full-page photograph and extended caption, and we would like to explore options for the use of colour in the Sectoral Chapters, Integrating Chapters and Case Studies. Overall length will be estimated at 250,000 - 300,000 words. Estimated page length would be 300- 400 pages
Bob Ferrier is the Head of the Catchment Research Group at the Macaulay Institute and an Honorary Research Fellow in the College of Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen. He is a hydrochemist whose research focuses on modeling the consequences of environmental change on water resources and on addressing the global challenge of diffuse pollution. In 2006, he was the first International Flagship Fellow for CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country Programme advising on research in relation to the protection of the Great Barrier Reef. Alan Jenkins is the Water Science Director at the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and an Honorary Professor in hydrochemical modeling in the Department of Geography, University College London. His background is in water quality modeling with particular focus on the impact of diffuse pollutants on headwater streams. He is the chair of the UK Committee for National and International Hydrology and recently completed a term of office on the Bureau of the UNESCO International Hydrology Programme.
“This is a comprehensive and helpful addition to the bookshelf of any scientist or decision maker concerned with water resources in the 21st Century." (World Association of Soil and Water Conservation ,May 2010