Water Resources Management

Water, once an abundant natural resource, is becoming a more valuable commodity due to droughts and overuse. Security and sustainable development of our water resources is one of the key problems of the 21st century. Improved water management can make a significant contribution to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to availability and sustainable management of water resources. As with other resource management, this is rarely possible in practice. Water is an essential resource for all life on the planet. Of the water resources on Earth only three percent of it is fresh and two-thirds of the freshwater is locked up in ice caps and glaciers. Of the remaining one percent, a fifth is in remote, inaccessible areas and much seasonal rainfall in monsoonal deluges and floods cannot easily be used. At present only about 0.08 percent of all the world’s fresh water is exploited by mankind in ever increasing demand for sanitation, drinking, manufacturing, leisure and agriculture. Effective and sustainable management of water resources is vital for ensuring sustainable development. In view of the vital importance of water for human and animal life, for maintaining ecological balance and for economic and developmental activities of all kinds, and considering its increasing scarcity, the planning and management of water resource and its optimal, economical and equitable use has become a matter of the utmost urgency.

The aim of this book is to focus attention on the management of surface water and groundwater resources. The contributions from outstanding scientists and experts provides detailed information about different topics and gives a general overview of the current issues in water resources assessment, development, conservation and control, emphasizing policies and strategies. It examines planning and design of water resource systems, and operation, maintenance and administration of water resource systems. This book will be of invaluable for the practicing professionals and students, mathematical modelers, hydrogeologists and water resources specialists.