Fundamentals of Hydrology (Routledge Fundamentals of Physical Geography)

Fundamentals of Hydrology provides an absorbing and comprehensive introduction to the understanding of how fresh water moves on and around the planet and how humans affect and manage the freshwater resources available to them.

The book consists of three parts, each of fundamental importance in the understanding of hydrology:

• The first section deals with processes within the hydrological cycle, our understanding of them, and how to measure and estimate the amount of water within each process. This also includes an analysis of how each process impacts upon water quality issues.
• The second section is concerned with the measurement and analytical assessment of important hydrological parameters such as streamflow and water quality. It describes analytical and modelling techniques used by practising hydrologists in the assessment of water resources.
• The final section of the book draws together the first two parts to discuss the management of freshwater with respect to both water quality and quantity in a changing world.

Fundamentals of Hydrology is a lively and accessible introduction to the study of hydrology at university level. It gives undergraduates a thorough understanding of hydrological processes, knowledge of the techniques used to assess water resources and an up-to-date overview of water resource management. Throughout the text examples and case studies from all around the world are used to clearly explain ideas and techniques. Short chapter summaries, essay questions, guides to further reading, website links and a glossary are also included.

The third edition provides new and updated case study material and includes a new chapter on measuring streamflow. This chapter has particular reference to recent technological advances in this field and the challenges in maintaining a high quality river flow data set.