A Water Story
Learning from the Past, Planning for the Future
By: Geoff Beeson
A comprehensive and engaging account of water use in Australia, from Ancient Australia to today.
Freshwater scarcity is a critical challenge, with social, economic, political and environmental consequences. Water crises in Australia have already led to severe restrictions being applied in cities, drought ravaging farmlands, and the near-terminal decline of some rivers and wetlands. + Full description
A Water Story provides an account of Australian water management practices, set against important historical precedents and the contemporary experience of other countries. It describes the nature and distribution of the country's natural water resources, management of these resources by Indigenous Australians, the development of urban water supply, and support for pastoral activities and agricultural irrigation, with the aid of case studies and anecdotes. This is followed by discussion of the environmental consequences and current challenges of water management, including food supply, energy and climate change, along with options for ensuring sustainable, adequate high-quality water supplies for a growing population.
A Water Story is an important resource for water professionals and those with an interest in water and the environment and related issues, as well as students and the wider community.
- Short descriptionReviews
"Anyone seeking a broad perspective on the whole field will find this an accessible and non-technical guide, including useful references in the footnotes to direct further reading on a whole range of more specialised topics. CSIRO Publishing has produced an extensively illustrated and attractive paperback printed on paper of a quality rarely found in paperbacks."
Tony Dingle, Historical Records of Australian Science 31(2) 2020
"[T]he book’s value is clear, it provides a unique contribution that distils the nation’s key water issues and schemes into one readable volume. A Water Story is a valuable reference book to add to the library of anyone with an interest in water supply in Australia."
Margaret Cook, Australian Historical Studies 51(3) 2020
"This type of in-depth, unbiased, but critical material about Australia's water resources cannot be found on the internet. It is all here in this one publication."
Bob Winters, Geographical Education Vol 33, 2020
"A Water Story is an important contribution to Australian water literature and environmental history. ...Given the criticality of fresh water to all agricultural, industrial, human and environmental needs this is a highly worthwhile and timely publication."
Emma McGirr, Historic Environment 32(1), 2020
Details
Paperback | February 2020 | $ 69.99ISBN: 9781486311293 | 304 pages | 245 x 170 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Colour plates, Illustrations, Photographs
ePDF | February 2020
ISBN: 9781486311309
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Available from eRetailers
ePUB | February 2020
ISBN: 9781486311316
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Available from eRetailers
Features
- A comprehensive and engaging account of water use in Australia, from Ancient Australia to today.
- Examines environmental, social, economic consequences of water management in Australia.
- Includes a variety of case studies showing both our water use successes and blunders, and lessons learned throughout history.
- Explores the critical issues confronting us in the early twenty-first century, and actions needed to safeguard our water future.
- Illustrated throughout with photographs and line drawings including a colour plates section.
Contents
ForewordAcknowledgments
Challenges and opportunities
1: Water and the earliest civilisations
2: Water use across the Roman Empire
3: Some basics about Earth’s water
4: Water supplies for the First Fleet colonists
5: The search for water inland
6: Aboriginal Australia
7: The Great Artesian Basin
8: Groundwater: more than the GAB
9: Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre and its basin
10: The golden pipeline
11: Adding water to the land: irrigation
12: Dams and reservoirs: storing water
Colour plates
13: The Murray–Darling Basin
14: Saving the Murray–Darling Basin?
15: Water for cities, towns and farms
16: Living with scarcity
17: Facing the future
Glossary
Appendix 1: Case Study: South Australia's long-term water plan
Endnotes
Index
View the full table of contents (PDF, 497kb)
Authors
Geoff Beeson is an independent researcher with a long-held interest in water use and management. He has a background in science and a PhD in science education and is currently an Honorary Professor at Deakin University (formerly Pro Vice-Chancellor). He has worked in several countries and has travelled widely throughout Australia and overseas observing developments in water management practices, both ancient and modern.
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