Introduction to Water in California

This is a gem of a book. A comprehensive overview of water issues in California. Filled with useful and relevant facts, it is told in a narrative style that is often (as least for those with an interest in water issues) so gripping it can be hard to put down. The book is small enough to fit in your coat pocket. The small size is part of its charm, but it also means the illustrations are necessarily very small. There are a number of maps which have been scaled down to the point of illegibility, and would be much more useful if they could be seen at a larger size. The author or publisher could do a service by making full-size versions of these available on the web.

This is a great overview book that carefully breaks down the various issues regarding water in California. The perspective is more political and historical rather than technical and your expectations should be accordingly. There is some scientific content to backup his positions but it is not the focus of the book.The book is well organized and contains plenty of illustrations and graphs. It is obvious the writer is a hippie but this is to be expected from the genre. There is a subtle bias but it is not deceptive and again is to be expected from the genre and perhaps the reader.

I was assigned this book for a Water Law & Policy class. I absolutely love it. It has SO much information for such a small book.

Carle engages one of most contentious and complex issue that our culture ignores - water. So we don't have enough water in California- you probably knew that. This book explores the nuances of California water - nature, culture, agriculture and infrastructure - in an concise volume that is suprisingly enjoyable for a such a dry topic. There is enough information packed into this little book to serve as a textbook - as such, Carle has created a valuable primmer and users guide for the Golden State.