The Protection and Conservation of Water Resources

This book is about water – in Britain, and in the world. It is about water resources, their conservation, protection of water quality for human consumption and aquatic ecosystems. Since the publication of the first edition in 1998, major political and regulatory changes have taken place; this book provides a clear and comprehensive update of conservation and water resource management issues in the UK over the past two decades, and in an expansion of its original UK perspective now includes examples of global best practice. The UK s 2003 adoption of the EU Water Framework Directive has had enormous implications for the conservation and management of our water resources. In 2016, with the UK s decision to leave the EU, the governance scene is entering upon an unpredictable future regarding its major water resource policies.

The Protection and Conservation of Water Resources, Second edition provides a clear and comprehensive update of conservation and water resource management issues. Chapter 1 deals with sustainability and water policy, outlines the issues and challenges, and asks: what is integrated water management? Chapter 2 reviews water availability and sufficiency in Britain, while Chapter 3 explores the dynamic between institutions and legislative framework. Chapter 4 introduces the catchment approach, and chapters 5 and 6 explore the issues of sustaining bulk supply and the imperatives of climate change. Chapter 7 looks at the contemporary background to water quality issues, and Chapter 8 provides case studies of catchment problems, both urban and rural. Chapter 9 describes solutions in land use change, including technical fixes and their sustainability. Chapter 10 is concerned with emerging governance arrangements, and Chapter 11 takes a global view, looking at successful examples around the world to find positive lessons from Europe, north America and Australia.

 

Preface to the new edition

Preface to the First edition

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1 Water, policy and procedure

Chapter 2 Water resource availability in Britain

Chapter 3 Institutions and legislation for resource management

Chapter 4 The catchment approach: ways and means

Chapter 5 Sustaining bulk supply: consumption and interference

Chapter 6 Sustaining bulk supply: possible solutions

Chapter 7 Water quality background issues

Chapter 8 Environmental issues of water quality and quantity

Chapter 9 Towards solutions: land use and technical fixes

Chapter 10 Framing water policies: emerging governance arrangements

Chapter 11 The USA, Australasia and Europe: Lessons to be learned?

Index

About the Author

Hadrian Cook is a lecturer and environmental consultant. Educated at the Universities of Sheffield, London and East Anglia, his academic interests include environmental history, environmental policy and floodplain management. He taught in schools and subsequently at Wye College University of London, at Imperial College and is presently on the staff of Kingston University. A Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, he has also worked in conservation for the Harnham Water Meadows Trust at Salisbury and was a consultant to the UK research councils Rural Economy and Land Use programme.