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Water Books
Water Follies by Robert Glennon, published 2002.
If you are interested in rivers, groundwater and surface water stories, this is the book you have been wanting to read. This book provides great evidence of the direct linkage between ground water and surface water. It is crammed full of water-related stories on the:
- Santa Cruz River in Tuscon
- Upper San Pedro River in Arizona
- Tampa Bay, FL
- San Antonio River in Texas
- Ipswish River in Massachusetts
- Cosumnes River in California
- Straight River in Minnesota
- Hopi Reservation in Arizona
- Grand Canyon:
The book is full of information and data on our rivers. It also is a great book for those involved in planning water conservation efforts. There are numerous stories of how best intentions went awry. It provides accounts on the difficulties that must be addressed if surface and ground are to be conserved. Population growth and pro-development are powerful forces that will naturally work against the best efforts of any conservation plan. Building allies and collaboration can be used to successfully address these forces.
The book also in includes a full list of sources used in the book, a partial listing of water conservation organizations in US, a primer glossary of terms and acronyms.
Water Follies is a sobering account of what is happening with groundwater and it's impact on our precious rivers and water supplies. It is a great reference and a entertaining; although not light, read.
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The Drinking Water Book - How to Eliminate Harmful Toxins from Your Water by Colin Ingram, published 2006.
Ever wonder what might be in your drinking water or what might be the most cost effective method to insure safe, clean drinking water for you, your family or your customers; then the The Drinking Water Book is for you. This book should be titled handbook, because it is a book you will continually referred to as you deal with water quality issues or questions.
It is a excellent source of information on what type of filtration systems remove what types of minerals and chemicals from water. Additionally, it deals wtih the complex topic of using multiple types of filters and the projected impact of differing combinations. Unique to this book is a brief summary of the different levels of effectiveness of the various alternatives and the relative costs of each option.
The Drinking Water Book is valuable guide that you will likely refer to again and again.
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Every Drop for Sale: Our Desperate Battle Over Water Our Desparate Battle over Water in a World About to Run Out by Jeffrey Rothfeder.
Every Drop for Sale dives right into some of the large water issues facing us now: privatization of water, the scramble to buy up limited water rights, and the recent conflicts that have occurred over water. This book incudes an abundance of examples of the challenges being faced around the globe on our looming epic water problems and highlights the interconnected of water (i.e. it's fluid nature that is not bound by arbitrary political borders).
Rothfeder showcases several geographic regions as examples of areas where chonic water challenges need to be addressed. In the Middle East for example, the region's water use will have doubled from 1975-2025; and yet this is occurring in one of the most arid regions of the world where several of the major countries in the area depend solely on "fossil water" which is being rapidly depleted. The likely result will be increased conflict in that area; unless solutions are found.Desalination is briefly discussed in the book as one of the potential solutions.
This book is intended to be a call to action to this epic challenge and provides compelling arguements in support of it's objective.
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The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson
This guide provides a bal anced look at global warming, presenting both side of the prevailing argruements. This densely packed book covers the likely effects of global warming, possible solutions and is crammed with interesting data and sidebar stories.
A great read for anyone interested in understanding some of the issues facing us as the planet warms.
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Water Storage - Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds by Art Ludwig, published in 2005
 This book is a how-to book on using tanks, cisterns, ponds and aquifiers for water storage. It includes explanations and all the math behind correctly sizing various types of water storage alternatives. Additionally, it includes a full explanation of the different tank types (i.e. glass, wood, plastic, ferrocement, steel, rock, etc.). A entire chapter is dedicated to How to Make Ferrocement Tanks for those that want to build a tank.
A great read for anyone interested in understanding some of the issues facing us as the planet
This book includes numerous example systems with specifications; including slow sand filtration system, very low pressure systems, urban apartment complex and a high-end house. These examples provide an excellent guide to those interested in designing or understanding non-traditional systems.
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Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands (Vol. 1): Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into Your Life And Landscape by Brad Lancaster
 Read full review of this great book.
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Tapped Out by Dr. Paul Simon, 1998
 One of the first books on the looming water shortage. Dr Paul Simon, former US Senator, states the case in 1998 why the United States and the rest of the world is facing a water crisis. In a word - population explosion. Some of the fasting growing areas of the world; including in the United States, are in areas with little to no extra water (i.e. Las Vegas, Phoenix, southern Florida, etc.). These areas are dealing with the short term problem by moving water, in some cases hundreds of miles, and by limited conservation programs. But the population growth trend continues today and these efforts will not be enough. Dr. Simon makes a very passionate argument for aggressive investment in desalination technology as a way to forestall the crisis. A few key passages out of the book:
- A water crisis of catastrophic proportions will explode upon us
- It is simple, more people consume more water. Less people consume less.
- Water quality and water quantity problems can not be separated
- Demand management is a key tool to conservation. It is a question of political will - RAISE THE PRICE of water and people and companies will conserve
- Every leader in the Middle East can talk about water. Almost no leader in the US can talk about water.
- Has the world's only superpower lost its courage, its vision, it willingness to lead?
Unfortunately, this book is as relevant today as it was in 1998. The US government has not even started to address this crisis that is already upon us.
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