► Description: |
This work is designed to broaden the
scope with which many people regard a
river. Rivers are commonly regarded from a
very simplistic perspective as conduits
for downstream flows of water. In this
context, it may be considered acceptable
and necessary to engineer the channel to
either facilitate such flows (e.g.,
channelization, levees) or limit flows and
store water (e.g., water supply
reservoirs, flood control). The book
presents the concept of a river as a
spatially and temporally complex ecosystem
that is likely to be disrupted in
unexpected and damaging ways by direct
river engineering and by human activities
throughout a drainage basin. Viewing a
river as a complex ecosystem with
nonlinear responses to human activities
will help to promote a more nuanced and
effective approach to managing river
ecosystems and to sustaining the water
resources that derive from rivers. In this
context, water resources refers to
ecosystem services including water supply,
water quality, flood control, erosion
control, and riverine biota (e.g.,
freshwater fisheries). Chapters in this
book draw extensively on existing
literature but integrate this literature
from a fresh perspective. General
principles are expanded upon and
illustrated with photographs, line
drawings, tables, and brief, site-specific
case studies from rivers around the world.
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Abstract: This work is designed to broaden
the scope with which many people regard a
river. Rivers are commonly regarded from a
very simplistic perspective as conduits
for downstream flows of water. In this
context, it may be considered acceptable
and necessary to engineer the channel to
either facilitate such flows (e.g.,
channelization, levees) or limit flows and
store water (e.g., water supply
reservoirs, flood control). The book
presents the concept of a river as a
spatially and temporally complex ecosystem
that is likely to be disrupted in
unexpected and damaging ways by direct
river engineering and by human activities
throughout a drainage basin. Viewing a
river as a complex ecosystem with
nonlinear responses to human activities
will help to promote a more nuanced and
effective approach to managing river
ecosystems and to sustaining the water
resources that derive from rivers. In this
context, water resources refers to
ecosystem services including water supply,
water quality, flood control, erosion
control, and riverine biota (e.g.,
freshwater fisheries). Chapters in this
book draw extensively on existing
literature but integrate this literature
from a fresh perspective. General
principles are expanded upon and
illustrated with photographs, line
drawings, tables, and brief, site-specific
case studies from rivers around the world
■ contents :
• Introduction
• Rivers as Ecosystems
• Human Alterations of Rivers (Ellen
Wohl)....Pages 59-104
• Toward Sustainable Rivers and Water
Resources
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