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Sustainability of Engineered Rivers In Arid Lands

Sustainability of Engineered Rivers In Arid Lands

Sustainability of Engineered Rivers In Arid Lands

Challenge and Response
Jurgen Schmandt, Houston Advanced Research Center
Aysegül Kibaroglu, MEF University, Istanbul
Regina Buono, University of Texas, Austin
Sephra Thomas, University of Texas, Austin
September 2021
Available
Hardback
9781108417037
£95.00
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Hardback
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eBook

    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, Limarí, Murray-Darling, Nile, Rio Grande, São 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.

    • Identifies reasons for increasing water scarcity in dryland rivers with multiple dams and reservoirs that enhance irrigated food production
    • Provides details about current and projected conditions in nine rivers across six continents
    • Reviews selected response strategies for combating water scarcity
    • Proposes a new definition of river sustainability based on dependable yield under changing natural and social conditions

    Reviews & endorsements

    '… 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

    See more reviews

    Product details

    September 2021
    Adobe eBook Reader
    9781108271714
    0 pages
    This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.

    Table of Contents

    • 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.
      Contributors
    • Jurgen Schmandt; Gerald R. Nort, George H. Ward, Stephanie Glenn, Olcay Unver, Eduardo Mansur, Melvyn Kay, R. James Lester, Muhammad Khalifa, Sephra Thomas, Lars Ribbe, Aysegül Kibaroglu, James E. Nickum, Jia Shaofeng, Daniel Connell, Antonio R. Magalhães, Eduardo Sávio, P. R. Martins, Alexandra Nauditt, Justyna Sycz, Douglas S. Kenney, Michael Cohen, John Berggren, Regina M. Buono, Jose Albiac, M. T. Kahil, Encarna Esteban, François Molle

    • Editors
    • Jurgen Schmandt , Houston Advanced Research Center

      Jurgen Schmandt is Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs at the University of Texas and Distinguished Fellowat the Houston Advanced Research Center where he developed their sustainability program. He specializes in water policy and sustainable development. He previously worked at the German Academic Exchange Service, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Harvard University. He used his work on water and drought in the Rio Grande basin and Northeast Brazil to start the SERIDAS project in 2013. He has published books and articles on technology and society, environmental regulation, climate change, water policy and sustainable development.

    • Aysegül Kibaroglu , MEF University, Istanbul

      Aysegül Kibaroglu is Professor of International Relations at MEF University, Istanbul. She was a visiting professor at the University of Texas, Austin. She is the author of Building a Regime for the Waters of the Euphrates-Tigris River Basin (Brill, 2002) and co-editor of Turkey's Water Policy (Springer, 2011). She has published in International Negotiation, Water International, Water Policy, International Journal of Water Resources Development and Global Governance. She is a founding member of the Euphrates Tigris Initiative for Cooperation (ETIC).