General circulation models (GCMs) predict certain changes in the amounts and distribution of precipitation, but the conversion of these predictions of impacts on water resources presents novel problems in hydrologic modeling, particularly with regard to the scale of the processes involved. Therefore improved, distributed GCMs are required. New remote sensing technologies provide the necessary spatially distributed data. However, there are many attendant problems with the translation of remotely sensed signals into hydrologically relevant information. This book elucidates how to improve the representation of land surface hydrologic processes in GCMs and in regional and global scale climate studies. It is divided into five sections: Models and Data; Precipitation; Soil Moisture; Evapotranspiration; Runoff.

This volume provides a modern assessment of the state of the world"s water resources. It collects in one place a huge amount of data. A uniform methodological approach for each continent is then built upon to analyse the dynamics of water resources, water use and water availability for the Earth as a whole, and for all natural-economic regions and selected countries, as well as river water inflow to the World Ocean. A dependence of water resources and water use upon climate factors and socio-economic conditions is demonstrated. Regions of water stress and deficit are highlighted, and a great increase of such regions in the future is forecast if present trends towards water use remain. The effect of anthropogenic climate change on water resources and water needs is also considered. This volume will prove to be an invaluable resource for all researchers and policy-makers involved in water resource issues.

The world's water resources are coming under increasing stress, a stress that will become critical globally sometime during the next century. This is due to the rapidly rising population demanding more and more water and an increasing level of affluence. The book discusses the background to this issue and the measures to be taken over the next 20-30 years to overcome some of the difficulties that can be foreseen, and the means of avoiding others, such as the hazard of floods. It looks at the water resource and its assessment and management in an integrated fashion. It deals with the requirements of agriculture and of rural and urban societies and to a lesser extent with those of industry and power, against the background of the needs of the natural environment. It presents a number of ways and means of improving the management of national and international affairs involving fresh water. It highlights the importance of fresh water as a major issue for the environment and for development.