Customer Reviews

A View of the River

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This is one of the best books about river systems that I have yet read. The author covers the basics of fluvial hydrology and geomorphology as he explains what he has learned about rivers over his many years of study. Written for the general public the author speaks to you as a mentor, not a professor lecturing his students. Chapters cover the following topics: The river channel; River measurement; Meanders and bars; Distribution of discharge in space and time; Rivers of the world; Flow variability and floods; Relationships between channel and discharge; Hydraulic geometry; Sediment load; The drainage network; Energy utilization; River morphology - the most probable state. Each chapter could be the topic of a college-level symposium or course. The references include many classic USGS Professional Papers. As a geologist I have gained a deeper appreciation for fluvial systems and their deposits because of the material contained in this book. Any fluvial stratigrapher, sedimentologist, hydrologist or geomorphologist should have a copy of this book. I recommend it for anyone whose livelihood depends upon rivers as well as those who just want to learn why rivers behave as they do. C. J. Donofrio

Excellent, and up to date,overview of rivers and the hows' and whys' of their existence. Great book for a college course or to keep around for professional reference. Loaded with diagrams, well organized, and very comprehensive. Covers; river channels, measurement, flow, distribution of discharge, floods, hydraulic geometry, drainage networks, river morphology, sediment load, etc, etc. Includes just enough equations that are light to moderate in complexity, about college sophomore level. Moderately easy to read, but not for casual reading. Overall a super book for those who are interested in the "nuts and bolts" of how and why a river works.

This book is a must-have for your library if you will only have ONE book on freshwater hydrology. Leopold thoroughly explains the essential processes in a way that is clear and understandable. Also show ways to put this knowledge to work near your home. Reading this book is critical to your competent understanding of basic hydrologic processes, so you can be an intelligent consumer of the stuff put out by the mass media. Get it. Read it. Re-read it.

If you read Barry Lopez River Notes, this book is not that. There is a subtext that comes through -- Leopold loved his work, the outdoors life of a river surveyor, and the rivers he studied -- but this is not a book of naturalist poetry. What it is, is the digest of a lifetime's study of the fluvial morphology of small rivers in America. Leopold indicates early on in the preface that he has not done much work on other continents, on big rivers or in tropical climates. However, these limitations acknowledged, much of what Leopold describes can be generalised into wider contexts. The main limitation for New Zealand readers will be the lack of any real discussion about braided rivers.

For students of hydrology and morphology this book could be a primer, or, I suspect, it contains important insights for expert readers too. I am just a student of river projects, and make no claim to any specialist knowledge, but the text is accessible throughout. You don't have to be a scientist to get a lot out of this. It is a kind of exemplar too, because Leopold presents his findings eloquently, clearly, in plain English, and with plenty of illustrations. If you are a scientist I suggest you buy it, if you are an engineer I am not so sure.

I must give you some examples of Leopold's knowledge, experience and vision. Hydro engineers will appreciate the value of complete records kept over an extended period of time; the question is always about that minimum flow in years of drought. In Chapter Two, River Measurement, Leopold is discussing the network of gaging stations: "The matter is complicated and will not be treated in detail here. But it is important to realize that many river gaging stations are so affected by the works of man that they do not provide a representation of the hydrology of the river basin". A few pages further in Leopold reveals himself as a very practical man, shunning the black art: "The easiest way to measure velocity is by floats, and the best float is an orange peel. It has just the right specific gravity to float nicely at the surface, it is brightly colored and thus easily seen, and it is readily available". Later, near to the end, Leopold has possibly found some naturally occurring herbs: "The longitudinal profile of a river is concave to the sky".

I am glad to have bought my copy of A View of the River. I dip into it when I'm in a dreamy mood, and every time I gain some small insight which seems valuable. It is not a thick book, but the text is reasonably dense, such that there is a lot of knowledge contained in just 298 pages.

An outstanding resourse for professionals in the hydrology industry.

Highly recommended

This is a fine text for folks who are seeking to introduce themselves to watershed and river mechanics.