Artificial Neural Networks in Hydrology
Artificial Neural Networks in Hydrology

Author: R.S. Govindaraju

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-03-09

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 9401593418

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

R. S. GOVINDARAJU and ARAMACHANDRA RAO School of Civil Engineering Purdue University West Lafayette, IN. , USA Background and Motivation The basic notion of artificial neural networks (ANNs), as we understand them today, was perhaps first formalized by McCulloch and Pitts (1943) in their model of an artificial neuron. Research in this field remained somewhat dormant in the early years, perhaps because of the limited capabilities of this method and because there was no clear indication of its potential uses. However, interest in this area picked up momentum in a dramatic fashion with the works of Hopfield (1982) and Rumelhart et al. (1986). Not only did these studies place artificial neural networks on a firmer mathematical footing, but also opened the dOOf to a host of potential applications for this computational tool. Consequently, neural network computing has progressed rapidly along all fronts: theoretical development of different learning algorithms, computing capabilities, and applications to diverse areas from neurophysiology to the stock market. . Initial studies on artificial neural networks were prompted by adesire to have computers mimic human learning. As a result, the jargon associated with the technical literature on this subject is replete with expressions such as excitation and inhibition of neurons, strength of synaptic connections, learning rates, training, and network experience. ANNs have also been referred to as neurocomputers by people who want to preserve this analogy.

River Contracts and Integrated Water Management in Europe
River Contracts and Integrated Water Management in Europe

Author: Maria Laura Scaduto

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-08-08

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 3319426281

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book aims to stimulate new thinking on the roles of river contracts in the protection and management of hydrographic resources and ecosystems and in the sustainable development of dependent territories and communities. Up-to-date information is provided on a range of topics relating to river contracts, including their relevance to implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive on integrated river basin management. The importance of river contracts for innovation in territorial planning and governance is explored with the aid of comparative analysis between France and Italy that encompasses water management policies, legislative frameworks, contents and procedures, and stakeholder rules and participation. This analysis is supported by enlightening case studies in urbanized and rural contexts within the two countries. The book will be of high interest for all who wish to understand the potential of river contracts to create innovative forums for dialogue and knowledge sharing between public/private stakeholders and local communities and to prompt a new form of governance of river ecosystems and territories that is compliant with the subsidiarity principle.

River Restoration
River Restoration

Author: Bertrand Morandi

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2021-09-20

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 1119410002

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

River Restoration River restoration initiatives are now widespread across the world. The research efforts undertaken to support them are increasingly interdisciplinary, focusing on ecological, chemical, physical as well as societal issues. River Restoration: Political, Social, and Economic Perspectives provides a comprehensive overview of research in the field of river restoration in humanities and the social sciences. It illustrates how, in the last thirty years or so, such approaches have evolved and strengthened within the restoration sciences. The scientific community working in this domain has structured itself, often regionally and circumstantially, to critically assess and improve restoration policies and practices. As a research field, river restoration tackles three thematic axes: Human-river interactions – especially perceptions and practices of rivers, and how these interactions can be changed by restoration projects Political processes, with a particular interest in governance and decision-making, and a specific emphasis on the question of public participation in restoration projects Evaluation of the social and economic benefits of river restoration River Restoration: Political, Social, and Economic Perspectives encompasses these three topics, and more, to provide the reader with the most up-to-date and holistic view of this constantly evolving area. The book will be of particular interest to human and social scientists, biophysical scientists (hydrologists, geomorphologists, ecologists), environmental scientists, public policy makers, design or planning officers, and anyone working in the field of river restoration.

Rivers for Life
Rivers for Life

Author: Sandra Postel

Publisher: Island Press

Published: 2012-06-22

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1597267805

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The conventional approach to river protection has focused on water quality and maintaining some "minimum" flow that was thought necessary to ensure the viability of a river. In recent years, however, scientific research has underscored the idea that the ecological health of a river system depends not on a minimum amount of water at any one time but on the naturally variable quantity and timing of flows throughout the year. In Rivers for Life, leading water experts Sandra Postel and Brian Richter explain why restoring and preserving more natural river flows are key to sustaining freshwater biodiversity and healthy river systems, and describe innovative policies, scientific approaches, and management reforms for achieving those goals. Sandra Postel and Brian Richter: explain the value of healthy rivers to human and ecosystem health; describe the ecological processes that support river ecosystems and how they have been disrupted by dams, diversions, and other alterations; consider the scientific basis for determining how much water a river needs; examine new management paradigms focused on restoring flow patterns and sustaining ecological health; assess the policy options available for managing rivers and other freshwater systems; explore building blocks for better river governance. Sandra Postel and Brian Richter offer case studies of river management from the United States (the San Pedro, Green, and Missouri), Australia (the Brisbane), and South Africa (the Sabie), along with numerous examples of new and innovative policy approaches that are being implemented in those and other countries. Rivers for Life presents a global perspective on the challenges of managing water for people and nature, with a concise yet comprehensive overview of the relevant science, policy, and management issues. It presents exciting and inspirational information for anyone concerned with water policy, planning and management, river conservation, freshwater biodiversity, or related topics.

Dictionary of Building and Civil Engineering
Dictionary of Building and Civil Engineering

Author: Don Montague

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 472

ISBN-13: 9780419199106

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This dual-language dictionary lists over 20,000 specialist terms in both French and English, covering architecture, building, engineering and property terms. It meets the needs of all building professionals working on projects overseas. It has been comprehensively researched and compiled to provide an invaluable reference source in an increasingly European marketplace.

The Meaning of Water
The Meaning of Water

Author: Veronica Strang

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-06-03

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 1000190285

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Water is the most valuable resource and the most passionately contested. Drought has become an increasingly extreme problem in many parts of the world, and it is predicted that 60% of the major cities in Europe will run short of water in the next decade. In industrialized countries per capita water usage continues to rise intractably, despite strenuous efforts by environmentalists and resource managers to encourage conservation. Conflicts over water and environmental degradation from the overuse of resources are intensifying. Water is not merely a physical resource: in every cultural context it is densely encoded with social, spiritual, political and environmental meanings, and these have a powerful effect upon patterns of water use and upon the relationships between water users and suppliers. This book makes an in-depth analysis of the meanings of water and considers how they are experienced and formed at an individual and societal level. Focusing on the River Stour in Dorset, Strang draws upon a wide range of data: ethnographic research, cultural mapping, local archives and folklore. She explores the controversies surrounding water ownership and management, and the social and political questions raised by water privatization in the UK. The topical nature of these issues and their global relevance make this book a vital contribution to contemporary research on water and an essential read for anyone with an interest in getting under the surface of one of the worlds most important social and environmental issues.