Sustainability of Engineered Rivers In Arid Lands: Challenge and Response

ISBN-13: 9781108417037 / Angielski / Twarda / 2021 / 500 str.

Jurgen Schmandt;Aysegül Kibaroglu; Austin) Regina Buono (University of Texas

Opis

This interdisciplinary volume examines how nine arid or semi-arid river basins with thriving irrigated agriculture are doing now and how they may change between now and mid-century. The rivers studied are the Colorado, Euphrates-Tigris, Jucar, Limari, Murray-Darling, Nile, Rio Grande, Sao Francisco, and Yellow. Engineered dams and distribution networks brought large benefits to farmers and cities, but now the water systems face multiple challenges, above all climate change, reservoir siltation, and decreased water flows. Unchecked, they will see reduced food production and endanger the economic livelihood of basin populations. The authors suggest how to respond to these challenges without loss of food production, drinking water, or environmental health. The analysis of the political, hydrological, and environmental conditions within each basin gives policymakers, engineers, and researchers interested in the water/sustainability nexus a better understanding of engineered rivers in arid lands.

Recenzje

'… an important contribution to the very timely topic of the challenges associated with using and protecting [river] resources. In particular, this unique group of contributors jointly show that the effects, both potential and observed, of climate change will necessitate changes in resource management. By considering prevailing conditions and the approaches currently taken with respect to such widely spread and differently managed systems, they offer readers many needed lessons … Recommended.' I. D. Sasowsky, Choice Connect

Spis treści

Introduction; 1. Introduction: Sustainability of Engineered Rivers in Arid Lands Jurgen Schmandt; Part I. Challenge: 2. Global Climate Change and the Rivers Gerald R. North; 3. Reservoirs: Design, Functions, Challenges George H. Ward; 4. Depletion of Groundwater: the Surface-Groundwater Connection Stephanie Glenn; 5. Endangered Food Security Olcay Unver, Eduardo Mansur and Melvyn Kay; 6. Declining Environmental Flows Stephanie Glenn and R. James Lester; Part II. Engineered Rivers: Past, Present and Future: 7. The Nile River Basin Muhammad Khalifa, Sephra Thomas and Lars Ribbe; 8. The Euphrates-Tigris River Basin Aysegül Kibaroglu; 9. The Yellow River Basin James E. Nickum and Jia Shaofeng; 10. The Murray-Darling River Basin Daniel Connell; 11. The São Francisco River Basin Antonio R. Magalhães, Eduardo Sávio and P. R. Martins; 12. The Limarí River Basin Alexandra Nauditt, Justyna Sycz and Lars Ribbe; 13. The Colorado River Basin Douglas S. Kenney, Michael Cohen, John Berggren and Regina M. Buono; 14. The Rio Grande/Río Bravo River Basin George H. Ward and Jurgen Schmandt; 15. The Jucar River Basin Jose Albiac, M. T. Kahil and Encarna Esteban; Part IV. Response: 16. River Basin Management and Irrigation François Molle; 17. 'Intelligent' Water Transfers Eduardo Sávio, P. R. Martins, Antonio Magalhães and James E. Nickum; 18. Better Basin Management with Stakeholder Participation Jurgen Schmandt and Aysegül Kibaroglu; Part V. Conclusion: 19. Conclusion: What We Found and What We Recommend Aysegül Kibaroglu, Jurgen Schmandt and George H. Ward; Index.