In December 2001, the Spanish government and local governments organized a closed-door workshop (WINEX) and invited nearly 40 specialists from five continents to discuss the intensive use of groundwater. The 22 papers that emerged from the gathering analyze the benefits for society in general, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, of using groundwater intensively over the past fifty years. They also look at problems derived from an uncontrolled and unplanned intensive exploitation of the resource, and at possible solutions to those problems. In addition to general considerations, they address technical issues, socio-economic issues, regional and national issues, and common issues and the way forward. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
This text is written by a number of authors from different countries and disciplines, affording the reader an invaluable and unbiased perspective on the subject of intensive groundwater development. Based on information gathered from the experience of many countries over the last decades, the text aims to present a clear discussion on the conventional hydrogeological aspects of intensive groundwater use, along with the ecological, legal, institutional, economic and social challenges. Divided into two main sections, the first group of authors put forward the positive and negative aspects of intensive groundwater use, whilst a second group provide an overview of the situation specific countries face as a consequence of this phenomenon. Fully revised and up-to-date, Groundwater Intensive Use makes a significant number of discoveries in a subject area that is topical in today's climate.
