Hydrology and Water Management in the Humid Tropics: Hydrological Research Issues and Strategies for Water Management

by Edited by Michael Bonell , Maynard M. Hufschmidt , John S. Gladwell

• ISBN13: 9780521452687
• ISBN10: 0521452686
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1993-09-24
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Environmental problems in the humid tropical regions, where the focus is on the fate and management of the surviving rainforest and climate change, are attracting increasing attention internationally. The distribution of tropical rainfall is highly variable, and in many regions the supply of potable water is inadequate. By the end of the century one-third of the world's population will be living in the humid tropics. This book considers all aspects of hydrology in the humid tropics. The first four parts of the book cover the physical basis of hydrology in the humid tropics: climatology, meteorology, process hydrology, sedimentation, water quality and freshwater ecology. This is followed by extensive treatment of the human and societal issues: land-use changes, water resource management, and rural and urban water supply in the tropical regions. The book is a uniquely integrated summary of hydrology in the tropics.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Part I. Introduction: 1. Introduction

Part II. Humid Tropics Setting: 2. Climate and rainfall variability in the humid tropics

3. Operational hydrology problems in the humid tropics

4. The problems of the humid tropics - opp0rtunities for reassessment of hydrological methodology

Part III. Regional Hydrology: 5. Hydrology in humid tropical Asia

6. Hydrology and water resources of humid Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea

7. Hydrology and water resources of tropical Latin America and the Caribbean

8. Amazonian rainfall and its variability

9. Regional hydrology and water resources in the African humid tropics

10. Review of hydrology and water resources of humid tropical islands

Part IV. Physical Processes: 11. Recent scientific developments and research needs in the hydrological processes of the humid tropics

12. Groundwater systems with reference to the humid tropics

13. Perspective on the hydrology and water resource management of natural freshwater wetlands and lakes in the humid tropics

14. Erosion and sedimentation

15. Water quality issues in the humid tropics

16. Ecological characteristics of tropical fresh waters: an outline

Part V. Physical Processes - Human Uses: The Interface: 17. Challenges in agriculture and forest hydrology in the humid tropics

18. The impact of land-use change on water resources in the humid tropics: an Australian view of the scientific issues

19. Urban water management problems in the humid tropics: some technical and non-technical considerations

20. The management of water resources, development and human health in the humid tropics

21. Water supply and health in the humid tropics with particular reference to rural areas

Part VI. Management Issues: 22. Water resource management

23. Water management issues: population, agriculture and forests - a focus on watershed management

24. Urban water resources in the humid tropics: an overview of the ASEAN region

25. An ecological and environmental approach to urban water problems in the humid tropics

26. Rethinking urban water supply and sanitation strategy in developing countries in the humid tropics: lessons from the International Water Decade

27. Water resource management issues in the humid tropics

Part VII. Appendices

Index.