The West without water : what past floods, droughts, and other climatic clues tell us about tomorrow /

This account of the climate history of the American West reaches far back in time yet also carries a timely message. Using highly readable prose, Ingram and Malamud-Roam (both, Univ. of California, Berkeley) present the multiple lines of evidence for past periods of droughts and floods, the various causes postulated for the cyclicity of these events, and the human influences that are currently overriding these cycles. They report on little-known events that have profound implications for the future, such as the floods that filled the entire Central Valley of California in 1861-62, a time when the population in the area was very low. Such floods follow long droughts, and similar conditions will inevitably arise again in the future. The work of Ingram and Malamud-Roam, and of other scientists, conveys the message that society needs to prepare for such events and also provides the details that will help with the planning. This book is an excellent introduction to climate science. Even though the focus is regional, the climate is a global system, and the authors place their subject in that context. Numerous maps, diagrams, and black-and-white photos. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. W. L. Cressler III West Chester University of Pennsylvania