Practical Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering

Water is now at the centre of world attention as never before and more professionals from all walks of life are engaging in careers linked to water – in public water supply and waste treatment, agriculture, irrigation, energy, environment, amenity management, and sustainable development. This book offers an appropriate depth of understanding of basic hydraulics and water resources engineering for those who work with civil engineers and others in the complex world of water resources development, management, and water security. It is simple, practical, and avoids (most of) the maths in traditional textbooks. Lots of excellent ‘stories’ help readers to quickly grasp important water principles and practices.

This third edition is broader in scope and includes new chapters on water resources engineering and water security. Civil engineers may also find it a useful introduction to complement the more rigorous hydraulics textbooks.

Melvyn Kay is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over forty years' experience in hydraulics and water resources management, particularly in irrigation for food production. He spent ten years with consulting engineers in the Middle East and Africa on major hydraulic works before joining Cranfield University where he became a Senior Lecturer teaching hydraulics and irrigation engineering to international post-graduate students, many of whom were from ‘non-engineering’ backgrounds. Then, he served as Director of Training and Consultancy Services, and was responsible for the development of international training and consultancy contract work at Cranfield University. He now works as an independent consultant on water for food production, capacity development, knowledge transfer in agricultural water development and management for various agencies, such as FAO, GWP, and the World Bank.