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Book review |
Komex, UK
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‘There are many similarities between detective stories and groundwater investigations,’ writes Ken Rushton in the introduction to this book. Continuing with the analogy, he stresses that groundwater studies depend on teamwork, in contrast to many detective stories where the vital breakthrough is usually made by a famous individual. However, this book presents an individual view, based on a lifetime's work on groundwater hydraulics and acknowledging the contribution of numerous co-workers. Groundwater Hydrology summarizes the concepts of groundwater flow and conceptual models, using an approach and examples which are familiar to the many groundwater professionals who are former students or colleagues of the author. One of Ken Rushton's major contributions to quantitative groundwater assessment is the emphasis on development of coherent conceptual models, requiring rigour and clarity of thought.
The book describes the fundamental principles and recent advances in both conceptual and numerical modelling. It focuses on the study of groundwater flow, with a thorough analysis of practical applications based on real case studies. It gives insights into the interpretation of field information, including examination of all the data collected, not just the apparently ‘good’ data points. The text covers the development of conceptual models, the use of analytical and numerical models, the assessment of the adequacy and reliability of models, and their use for predictive purposes The book also brings many analytical solutions to a new generation of groundwater practitioners, who may not need to derive their own solutions from first principles, but can nonetheless benefit from this approach.
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