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Man’s Impact on Tropical Rivers

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Perspectives in Running Water Ecology

Abstract

The close dependence of man on water for life accounts for the association which has existed between him and several rivers over the centuries. His contact with major world rivers — Tigris, Euphrates, Indus, Nile — encouraged the definition and practice of various water management technologies such as dam construction and crop irrigation which, in turn, contributed to development and the progress of civilization. In the process of using surface waters for development, man has interfered so much with streams, rivers and lakes that now, they can hardly be described as natural.

“And the waters hugged their earthy beds in harmony to serve all creatures — till man muddied and confused them ......”

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© 1981 Plenum Press, New York

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Obeng, L.E. (1981). Man’s Impact on Tropical Rivers. In: Lock, M.A., Williams, D.D. (eds) Perspectives in Running Water Ecology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1122-5_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1122-5_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1124-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1122-5

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