Forest hydrology and catchment management: An Australian perspective

Abstract

For the last three centuries forests have been recognised as providing the best water catchments and valued for their sustained output of high quality water. In Australia, work which was commenced fifty years ago has come to fruition and is providing new information on forest hydrology issues. The book focusses on the issues of small streams, including catchment definition, slope, hydrograph formation, water quality measurement, and annual water yield. The world-wide management issues of sustaining riparian forests are examined, using the River Murray forests as an example. Finally a large amount of information is drawn together to examine the management of forested catchments for water supplies. This book presents an incisive, disciplined, quantitative approach to dealing with forest hydrology matters. Although world-wide in application, the book particularly draws on Australian studies. It is written with the needs of students and forest practitioners in mind.