Watersheds: A Practical Handbook for Healthy Water

by Clive Dobson, Gregor Gilkin Beck

Water is our most vital resource. Yet few understand even the basics of watershed ecology

Watersheds: A Practical Handbook for Healthy Water provides a fascinating overview of the fundamentals of ecology from the simple concept of a watershed to the biological intricacies of a wetland ecosystem and its implications on the environment.

More than 100 illustrations, especially done for this book, help explain the numerous environmental issues and the intricate web of life that connect each of us to all other life on the planet through out involvement in the watershed cycle.

Watersheds includes information on: water and nutrient cycles bioregions and aquatic habitats exotic species invasions
- water and air pollution ecological restoration habitat loss

Special "How Can I Help?" sections throughout the book provide practical and meaningful ways in which individuals can make a difference to the health of watersheds by reducing water and air pollution, preserving native forests, and helping restore the health of streams and rivers.

Genres: Science, Environment, Biology

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1999

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The water color illustrations were beautiful. The writing was right at my scientific and ecological knowledge, aka basically at the upper elementary/middle school level (note: do not expect to learn much if you are a real adult ecologist).

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book back when I was in the Nevada Naturalist program. It is a good introduction to the life cycle of water and the pictures are beautifully done in watercolors.

[K LF]

I skimmed this book.

Great overview of the ecology and environmental issues facing watersheds

illustrations are lovely.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clive Dobson's lovely watercolor illustrations are worth 4.5 stars, easily. But someone owes me an apology for the text. Either the Hennepin County Library System mistakenly filed a mid-grade nonfiction book in the adult nonfiction section, or Gregor Gilpin Beck thinks his adult readers have the intellectual sophistication of fifth-graders. The line between "introductory" and "grossly oversimplified" wavers, and Gilpin Beck too often places his text on the "grossly oversimplified" side--to say nothing of the fact that only the first half of the book is directly about watersheds.

[Nathanael Coyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good all-round introduction to watersheds, how they are defined, how we use and abuse them, the effect of pollutants and excessive nutrients on aquatic ecosystems, lake eutrophication and dams.

A quick easy read, obviously written for school students but still interesting. The beautiful watercolour illustrations are probably the best part of this book; I'll be referring back to this book just for artistic inspiration.