California's Kern River, the Environment, and the Making of Western Water Law
When Europeans first arrived at what is now California's San Joaquin Valley, they found a vast landscape of wetlands, small ponds, riparian forests, and grasslands surrounding three large swampland lakes. What greets a visitor to the region today is a dramatically different view of mile after mile of row crops, vineyards, orchards, and grazing ......
A Collaborative Ethnography of a West Virginia Water Crisis
On January 9th 2014, residents across Charleston, West Virginia, awoke to an unusual liquorice smell in the air and a similar taste in the public drinking water. That evening residents were informed that the tap water in tens of thousands of homes, hundred of businesses, and dozens of schools and hospitals - the water made available to as many as ......
A Collaborative Ethnography of a West Virginia Water Crisis
On January 9th 2014, residents across Charleston, West Virginia, awoke to an unusual liquorice smell in the air and a similar taste in the public drinking water. That evening residents were informed that the tap water in tens of thousands of homes, hundred of businesses, and dozens of schools and hospitals - the water made available to as many as ......
In this timely work, Eric Freyfogle probes the long-simmering struggles in the American West to address water-related problem. The big challenge is to resolve water shortages and meet high-valued water needs while also improving river ecosystems. These water conflicts, he suggests, have less to do with our contentious political differences than ......
During the past two decades, environmental security and more specifically the security of water as a natural resource has come to the forefront of research and discussion. Many regions have experienced an increased water scarcity due to climatic variability and climate change, and the uncertain impacts of climate change to the supply has brought the issue to the centre of political debates. Indeed it has been raised by both the EU and the US national governments as a major issue of concern globally and has also been highlighted by the Security Council of the UN. The four volumes of this collection seek to broadly outline the debate as it has developed, both from a policy as well as an academic perspective, with the aim to bring conceptual clarity as well as provide an account of how the water security discourse has emerged and developed. Volume One: Water Security - Origin and foundations Volume Two: Water Security - International conflict and cooperation Volume Three. Water Security and Development - An intimate relation Volume Four: The Age of Water Security - Current dilemmas and future challenges
Water has been dubbed the "oil of the 21st century" because of its increasing global scarcity. In Southeast Asia, water resources have been strained by the greater demand from different sectors such as agriculture, industry and domestic users. This situation is only likely to worsen in the future if active measures are not taken now. Is there a ......
Asia is home to many of the world's great rivers and lakes, but its huge population and economic and agricultural demand for water make it the most water-scarce continent on a per capita basis. This book a pioneering study of Asia's murky water politics and the relationships between fresh water, peace, and security.
Water has had an immeasurable impact on the history and growth of the United States. As an essential element of life water has been and remains a constant source of conflict and controversy as different constituencies fight for limited resources. The Encyclopedia of Water Politics and Policy in the United States is the most comprehensive reference source available that analyzes water-related issues in America. A diverse group of over 100 scholars have provided their research and analysis of why water is so significant by tracing its impact on issues like national and state boundaries, western migration, urbanization, and the economy. This volume chronicles the origins of present-day water problems, political conflicts, the impact of legislation and court decisions on the use of water resources, the major projects undertaken across the country, and what experts are proposing be done to preserve this basic component of the environment. Going back some 150 years, the Encyclopedia provides an overview of approximately 280 pieces of water-related legislation, legal cases, people, projects, and organizations that have shaped the history of the United States. In addition to historical coverage, the volume also addresses many current environmental issues including acid rain, agriculture, climate change, mining, erosion, levees and dams, pollution, urbanization, and wastewater treatment. The volume's A to Z entries are divided into four sections: Regional Water Politics and Policy: Essays providing a narrative background and overview Major Issues in Water Politics and Policy: A comprehensive list of issues from colonial times to the present Law and Government: The people and legislation that have shaped water policy in the United States Places and Projects: Extensive coverage of the projects (including dams and aqueducts) the government has undertaken to develop the nation's waterways Throughout the volume, concise text features highlight important events, advocacy groups, people, books, and sites important to water politics and policy. A thematic table of contents allows users to easily locate reclamation projects geographically, biographies of important figures, current issues by subject area, government agencies, and legal cases.
Singapore's Journey Towards Environmental and Water Sustainability
'When Singapore became a sovereign state in 1965, the fledgling nation faced very similar problems as most other developing countries: high unemployment, low standard of living, and poor environmental conditions. In a scant four decades, it has become the 6th wealthiest country in the world in terms of per capita GDP and has managed its ......