In 1978, when this book was first published, the provision of water
services was a fundamental environmental issue. In England and Wales,
organizations were created to protect and enhance the nation's water
resources. This book considers the problems involved in achieving those
objectives and attempts to assess the potential of the organizational
arrangements to assist. Each type of water management problem is
presented in the context of an actual example. The conflicts inherent in
the need for surface reservoirs are discussed using the Lake District as
an example. The Severn Trent river system is used as the basis for an
examination of flood damage reduction. The Mersey and Trent river
systems are used similarly when effluent disposal and river quality are
discussed. Amongst other questions covered are spray irrigation and the
control of groundwater resources. A final chapter deals with national
aspects of water management including the proposal in 1973 for a
'national water grid'. This is a book for those seriously concerned with
water management both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.