Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems

Author : Robert W. Adler
Publisher : Island Press
Page : 344 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2012-06-22
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781597267786

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Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems by Robert W. Adler Pdf

Over the past century, humans have molded the Colorado River to serve their own needs, resulting in significant impacts to the river and its ecosystems. Today, many scientists, public officials, and citizens hope to restore some of the lost resources in portions of the river and its surrounding lands. Environmental restoration on the scale of the Colorado River basin is immensely challenging; in addition to an almost overwhelming array of technical difficulties, it is fraught with perplexing questions about the appropriate goals of restoration and the extent to which environmental restoration must be balanced against environmental changes designed to promote and sustain human economic development. Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems explores the many questions and challenges surrounding the issue of large-scale restoration of the Colorado River basin, and of large-scale restoration in general. Robert W. Adler evaluates the relationships among the laws, policies, and institutions governing use and management of the Colorado River for human benefit and those designed to protect and restore the river and its environment. He examines and critiques the often challenging interactions among law, science, economics, and politics within which restoration efforts must operate. Ultimately, he suggests that a broad concept of “restoration” is needed to navigate those uncertain waters, and to strike an appropriate balance between human and environmental needs. While the book is primarily about restoration of Colorado River ecosystems, it is also about uncertainty, conflict, competing values, and the nature, pace, and implications of environmental change. It is about our place in the natural environment, and whether there are limits to that presence we ought to respect. And it is about our responsibility to the ecosystems we live in and use.

Author : R. C. Wissmar,Peter A. Bisson
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 294 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Nature
ISBN : UOM:39015059320641

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Strategies for Restoring River Ecosystems by R. C. Wissmar,Peter A. Bisson Pdf

Fisheries and natural resource managers and policymakers need more efficient procedures for identifying sources of variability in ecosystems (natural and managed) and assessing uncertainties of managing and making decisions for developing and implementing river restoration strategies. This book seeks to integrate perspectives on variability of physical and biological functions and concepts of uncertainty in natural and managed systems, into strategies for renewing and conserving river ecosystems. The book explores approaches to understanding and communicating the processes contributing to the variability of different types of river systems, and to assessing major sources of uncertainty in natural and managed river ecosystems.

Author : Mark K. Briggs,Waite R. Osterkamp
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
Page : 489 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2021-01-05
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780816541485

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Renewing Our Rivers by Mark K. Briggs,Waite R. Osterkamp Pdf

Our rivers are in crisis and the need for river restoration has never been more urgent. Water security and biodiversity indices for all of the world’s major rivers have declined due to pollution, diversions, impoundments, fragmented flows, introduced and invasive species, and many other abuses. Developing successful restoration responses are essential. Renewing Our Rivers addresses this need head on with examples of how to design and implement stream-corridor restoration projects. Based on the experiences of seasoned professionals, Renewing Our Rivers provides stream restoration practitioners the main steps to develop successful and viable stream restoration projects that last. Ecologists, geomorphologists, and hydrologists from dryland regions of Australia, Mexico, and the United States share case studies and key lessons learned for successful restoration and renewal of our most vital resource. The aim of this guidebook is to offer essential restoration guidance that allows a start-to-finish overview of what it takes to bring back a damaged stream corridor. Chapters cover planning, such emerging themes as climate change and environmental flow, the nuances of implementing restoration tactics, and monitoring restoration results. Renewing Our Rivers provides community members, educators, students, natural resource practitioners, experts, and scientists broader perspectives on how to move the science of restoration to practical success.

Author : Laura Smith
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 348 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2022-01-12
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9783030861483

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Ecological Restoration and the U.S. Nature and Environmental Writing Tradition by Laura Smith Pdf

This book presents a critical history of the intersections between American environmental literature and ecological restoration policy and practice. Through a storying—restorying—restoring framework, this book explores how entanglements between writers and places have produced literary interventions in restoration politics. The book considers the ways literary landscapes are politicized by writers themselves, and by conservationists, activists, policymakers, and others, in defense of U.S. public lands and the idea of wilderness. The book profiles five environmental writers and examines how their writings on nature, wildness, wilderness, conservation, preservation, and restoration have variously inspired and been translated into ecological restoration programs and campaigns by environmental organizations. The featured authors are Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) at Walden Pond, John Muir (1838–1914) in Yosemite National Park, Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) at his family’s Wisconsin sand farm, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890–1998) in the Everglades, and Edward Abbey (1927–1989) in Glen Canyon. This book combines environmental history, literature, biography, philosophy, and politics in a commentary on considering (and developing) environmental literature’s place in conversations on restoration ecology, ecological restoration, and rewilding.

Author : David M. Driesen,Robert W. Adler,Kirsten H. Engel
Publisher : Aspen Publishing
Page : 805 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2016-02-08
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781454874843

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Environmental Law by David M. Driesen,Robert W. Adler,Kirsten H. Engel Pdf

Environmental Law: A Conceptual and Pragmatic Approach, 3E organizes its presentation of environmental law around key concepts rather than around statutes, an approach that provides coherence to the study of Environmental Law. In addition, it also orients students in a way that will allow them to become effective practitioners, well acquainted with the central recurring problems in the field. Though the book focuses primarily on pollution control law, it does include a chapter on environmental restoration as well as some treatment of NEPA and the ESA. The book s numerous problems involving global climate disruption give students the opportunity to practice applying the book s concepts and particular statutory provisions to the most important contemporary issue, while allowing them to understand how a single scientific problem can implicate numerous statutes.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 388 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Electronic
ISBN : NWU:35556032757395

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Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration, Lower Colorado River Basin by Anonim Pdf

Author : Jason A. Robison
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
Page : 329 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2022-11-08
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780816547654

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Cornerstone at the Confluence by Jason A. Robison Pdf

Signed on November 24, 1922, the Colorado River Compact is the cornerstone of a proverbial pyramid—an elaborate body of laws colloquially called the “Law of the River” that governs how human beings use water from the river system dubbed the “American Nile.” No fewer than forty million people have come to rely on the Colorado River system in modern times—a river system immersed in an unprecedented, unrelenting megadrought for more than two decades. Attempting to navigate this “new normal,” policymakers are in the midst of negotiating new management rules for the river system, a process coinciding with the compact’s centennial that must be completed by 2026. Animated by this remarkable confluence of events, Cornerstone at the Confluence leverages the centennial year to reflect on the compact and broader “Law of the River” to envision the future. It is a volume inviting dialogue about how the Colorado River system’s flows should be apportioned given climate change, what should be done about environmental issues such as ecosystem restoration and biodiversity protection, and how long-standing issues of water justice facing Native American communities should be addressed. In one form or another, all these topics touch on the concept of “equity” embedded within the compact—a concept that tees up what is perhaps the foundational question confronted by Cornerstone at the Confluence: Who should have a seat at the table of Colorado River governance?

Author : Ellen Wohl
Publisher : Springer
Page : 151 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2017-08-31
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783319651248

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Sustaining River Ecosystems and Water Resources by Ellen Wohl Pdf

This work is designed to broaden the scope with which many people regard a river. Rivers are commonly regarded from a very simplistic perspective as conduits for downstream flows of water. In this context, it may be considered acceptable and necessary to engineer the channel to either facilitate such flows (e.g., channelization, levees) or limit flows and store water (e.g., water supply reservoirs, flood control). The book presents the concept of a river as a spatially and temporally complex ecosystem that is likely to be disrupted in unexpected and damaging ways by direct river engineering and by human activities throughout a drainage basin. Viewing a river as a complex ecosystem with nonlinear responses to human activities will help to promote a more nuanced and effective approach to managing river ecosystems and to sustaining the water resources that derive from rivers. In this context, water resources refers to ecosystem services including water supply, water quality, flood control, erosion control, and riverine biota (e.g., freshwater fisheries). Chapters in this book draw extensively on existing literature but integrate this literature from a fresh perspective. General principles are expanded upon and illustrated with photographs, line drawings, tables, and brief, site-specific case studies from rivers around the world.

Author : Gary J. Brierley,Kirstie A. Fryirs
Publisher : Island Press
Page : 328 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2012-09-26
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781610911054

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River Futures by Gary J. Brierley,Kirstie A. Fryirs Pdf

Across much of the industrialized world, rivers that were physically transformed and ecologically ruined to facilitate industrial and agricultural development are now the focus of restoration and rehabilitation efforts. River Futures discusses the emergence of this new era of river repair and documents a comprehensive biophysical framework for river science and management. The book considers what can be done to maximize prospects for improving river health while maintaining or enhancing the provision of ecosystem services over the next fifty to one-hundred years. It provides a holistic overview of considerations that underpin the use of science in river management, emphasizing cross-disciplinary understanding that builds on a landscape template. The book frames the development of integrative river science and its application to river rehabilitation programs develops a coherent set of guiding principles with which to approach integrative river science considers the application of cross-disciplinary thinking in river rehabilitation experiences from around the world examines the crossover between science and management, outlining issues that must be addressed to promote healthier river futures Case studies explore practical applications in different parts of the world, highlighting approaches to the use of integrative river science, measures of success, and steps that could be taken to improve performance in future efforts. River Futures offers a positive, practical, and constructive focus that directly addresses the major challenge of a new era of river conservation and rehabilitation—that of bringing together the diverse and typically discipline-bound sets of knowledge and practices that are involved in repairing rivers. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved in river restoration and management, including restorationists, scientists, managers, and policymakers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students.

Author : National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Commission on Geosciences, Environment and Resources,Committee on Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems: Science, Technology, and Public Policy
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 580 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 1992-01-01
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 0309045347

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Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems by National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Commission on Geosciences, Environment and Resources,Committee on Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems: Science, Technology, and Public Policy Pdf

Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself. The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressedâ€"restorationâ€"is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines: Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology.

Author : John H. Spiers
Publisher : University of Pennsylvania Press
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2018-06-07
Category : History
ISBN : 9780812250244

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Smarter Growth by John H. Spiers Pdf

Smarter Growth offers a fresh understanding of environmental politics in metropolitan America, using the Washington, D.C. area as a case study to demonstrate how public officials and their constituents engaged in an ongoing dialogue that positioned environmental protection as an increasingly important facet of planning and development.

Author : Bertrand Morandi,Marylise Cottet,Hervé Piégay
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 388 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2021-09-27
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781119409984

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River Restoration by Bertrand Morandi,Marylise Cottet,Hervé Piégay Pdf

River Restoration River restoration initiatives are now widespread across the world. The research efforts undertaken to support them are increasingly interdisciplinary, focusing on ecological, chemical, physical as well as societal issues. River Restoration: Political, Social, and Economic Perspectives provides a comprehensive overview of research in the field of river restoration in humanities and the social sciences. It illustrates how, in the last thirty years or so, such approaches have evolved and strengthened within the restoration sciences. The scientific community working in this domain has structured itself, often regionally and circumstantially, to critically assess and improve restoration policies and practices. As a research field, river restoration tackles three thematic axes: Human-river interactions – especially perceptions and practices of rivers, and how these interactions can be changed by restoration projects Political processes, with a particular interest in governance and decision-making, and a specific emphasis on the question of public participation in restoration projects Evaluation of the social and economic benefits of river restoration River Restoration: Political, Social, and Economic Perspectives encompasses these three topics, and more, to provide the reader with the most up-to-date and holistic view of this constantly evolving area. The book will be of particular interest to human and social scientists, biophysical scientists (hydrologists, geomorphologists, ecologists), environmental scientists, public policy makers, design or planning officers, and anyone working in the field of river restoration.

Author : April R. Summitt
Publisher : University Press of Colorado
Page : 248 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2013-04-15
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781607322115

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Contested Waters by April R. Summitt Pdf

"To fully understand this river and its past, one must examine many separate pieces of history scattered throughout two nations--seven states within the United States and two within Mexico--and sort through a large amount of scientific data. One needs to be part hydrologist, geologist, economist, sociologist, anthropologist, and historian to fully understand the entire story. Despite this river's narrow size and meager flow, its tale is very large indeed." -From the conclusion The Colorado River is a vital resource to urban and agricultural communities across the Southwest, providing water to 30 million people. Contested Waters tells the river's story-a story of conquest, control, division, and depletion. Beginning in prehistory and continuing into the present day, Contested Waters focuses on three important and often overlooked aspects of the river's use: the role of western water law in its over-allocation, the complexity of power relationships surrounding the river, and the concept of sustainable use and how it has been either ignored or applied in recent times. It is organized in two parts, the first addresses the chronological history of the river and long-term issues, while the second examines in more detail four specific topics: metropolitan perceptions, American Indian water rights, US-Mexico relations over the river, and water marketing issues. Creating a complete picture of the evolution of this crucial yet over-utilized resource, this comprehensive summary will fascinate anyone interested in the Colorado River or the environmental history of the Southwest.

Author : Stephen Grace
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 360 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2013-05-07
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780762785872

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Dam Nation by Stephen Grace Pdf

In the scramble to claim water rights in the West during the fevered days of early emigration and expansion, running out of water was rarely a concern, and the dam building fever that transformed the West in the 19th and 20th centuries created a map of the region that may be unsustainable. Throughout the arid American West, metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Denver need water. These cities are growing, but water supplies are dwindling. Scientists agree that the West is heating up and drying out, leading to future water shortages that will pose a challenge to existing laws. Dam Nation looks first to the past, to the stories of the California gold rush and the earliest attempts by men to shape the landscape and tame it, takes us to the “Great American Desert” and the settlement of the west under the theory that "rain follows the plow," and then takes on the ongoing legal and moral battles in the West. Author Stephen Grace, is a novelist, a storyteller, and the author of several non-fiction books on Colorado. He weaves the facts into a compelling narrative that informs, entertains, and tells an important story.

Author : Paul A. Formisano
Publisher : University of Nevada Press
Page : 275 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2022-04-26
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781647790431

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Tributary Voices by Paul A. Formisano Pdf

The Colorado River is in crisis. Persistent drought, climate change, and growing demands from ongoing urbanization threaten this life-source that provides water to more than forty million people in the U.S. and Mexico. Coupled with these challenges are our nation’s deeply rooted beliefs about the region as a frontier, garden, and wilderness that have created competing agendas about the river as something to both exploit and preserve. Over the last century and a half, citizens and experts looked to law, public policy, and science to solve worsening water problems. Yet today’s circumstances demand additional perspectives to foster a more sustainable relationship with the river. Through literary, rhetorical, and historical analysis of some of the Colorado River’s lesser-known stakeholders, Tributary Voices considers a more comprehensive approach to river management on the eve of the one-hundredth anniversary of the signing of the Colorado River Compact, which governs the allocation of water rights to the seven states in the region. Ranging from the early twentieth century to the present, Tributary Voices examines nature writing, women’s narratives, critiques of dam development, the Latina/o communities’ appeals for river restoration, American Indian authors’ and tribal nations’ claims of water sovereignty, and teachings about environmental stewardship and provident living. This innovative study models an interdisciplinary approach to water governance and reinvigorates our imagination in achieving a more sustainable water ethic.