Watersheds, Groundwater and Drinking Water

Watersheds, Groundwater and Drinking Water

Copyright Date: 2008

This guide will help resource managers, planners, and other decision makers better understand and assess water supplies and to define and manage protection areas for water sources. Developed for those who are interested in water resources, it can easily be used as text material for educational short courses.

The chapters in Part 1 cover such fundamentals as watershed hydrology, groundwater hydrology, water quality, and water contamination. Chapters in Part 2 describe tools and background information that are helpful when assessing and protecting individual water sources.

While written with the water source needs of Californians in mind, much of the basic information in the guide is applicable to other states as well.

Includes 104 figures, 36 tables, and an English-Metric Conversion appendix.

Chapters:
•Surface Water Hydrology and Watersheds
•Groundwater Hydrology and Wells
•Legal Control of California’s Water Resources
•Surface Water Quality
•Groundwater Contaminants and Sources
•Transport and Fate of Contaminants in Surface Water
•Transport and Fate of Contaminates in Groundwater
•Water Sampling and Monitoring
•Delineating Watersheds, Surface Water Source Areas, and Protection Zones
•Delineating Groundwater Recharge Areas and Wellhead Protection Zones
•Assessing Vulnerability of Groundwater
•Compiling an Inventory of Possible Contaminating Activities
•Protecting Water Sources
•Protecting California’s Drinking Water: Past, Present, and Future