When the rivers run dry : water, the defining crisis of the twenty-first century / Fred Pearce.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pearce, Fred.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Water resources development.

Water-supply.

Physical Description:

xi, 324 pages : maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boston : Beacon Press, [2006]

Summary:

In this groundbreaking book, veteran science correspondent Fred Pearce travels to more than thirty countries to examine the current state of crucial water sources. Deftly weaving together the complicated scientific, economic, and historic dimensions of the world water crisis, he provides our most complete portrait yet of this growing danger and its ramifications for us all. Named as one of the Top 50 Sustainability Books by University of Cambridges Programme for Sustainability Leadership and Greenleaf Publishing.

Contents:

I When the rivers run dry ... the poor take to the road

1 The Human Sponge p. 7

2 Lake Chad p. 11

3 Sahel p. 18

4 Riding the Water Cycle p. 23

II When the rivers run dry ... America loses the West

5 Rio Grande p. 33

8 Colorado p. 39

7 California p. 46

III When the rivers run dry ... the wet places die

8 Mekong p. 55

9 Seas of Death p. 63

IV When the rivers run dry ... we mine our children's water

11 India p. 77

12 Overpumping the World p. 82

13 Bangladesh p. 89

V When the rivers run dry ... engineers pour concrete

14 Wonders of the World p. 95

15 The New Dam Era p. 102

16 Sun, Silt, and Stagnant Ponds p. 106

VI When the rivers run dry ... floods may not be far behind

17 China p. 113

18 Unleashing the River Dragon p. 123

19 Changing Climate p. 128

VII When the rivers run dry ... we go to war over water

20 Honduras p. 135

21 Palestine p. 139

22 River Jordan p. 145

23 Egypt p. 150

24 Iraq p. 155

25 Mesopotamia p. 159

26 Tibet p. 164

VIII When the rivers run dry ... civilizations fall

27 Elisha's Spring and the Riddle of Angkor p. 173

28 Aral Sea p. 179

IX When the rivers run dry ... we try to catch the rain

29 Harvesting the Monsoons p. 191

30 Oman p. 199

31 Iran p. 204

X When the rivers run dry ... we go looking for new water

32 Taking the Water to the People p. 213

33 Singapore p. 218

34 Out of Thin Air p. 225

35 Seeding Clouds and Desalting the Sea p. 232

XI When the rivers run dry ... we should go with the flow

36 Europe p. 239

37 Ganges and Mississippi p. 247

38 More Crop per Drop p. 251

39 Colombia p. 257

40 Water Ethics p. 262.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0807085723

OCLC:

61748253

Publisher Number:

9780807085721