A View of the River

With the Midwest under water, America had a chance to see how effectively it had "improved" its rivers. Too often physical changes made to a river conflict with natural processes, resulting in - rather than alleviating - damage. Applying available knowledge on how rivers form and act could prevent such problems. In this book Luna Leopold seeks to organize such knowledge, presenting a coherent description of rivers, their shape, size, organization and action, along with a consistent theory that explains much of the observed character of channels.;Grounded in hydraulics, geomorphology and surveying, as well as in extensive fieldwork on rivers in the eastern and Rocky Mountain states, Leopold's view of a river is at once technical and personal, providing both a firm foundation for understanding the behaviour of rivers - including instructions for getting started in backyard hydrology - and a wealth of firsthand observations by a thoughtful and experienced scientist. It should be of immediate interest and great use as researchers seek to develop, preserve and appreciate the earth's most fluid natural resource.