Review of Handbook of Engineering Hydrology: Modeling, Climate Change, and Variability, edited by Saeid Eslamian

The book comprises 29 chapters on different topics that do not seem to follow a logical sequence. The compilation of chapters resembles a typical issue of a journal and, therefore, not a handbook of engineering hydrology on modeling, climate change, and variability. Despite this, the book will be a useful reference to a diverse audience.

The first chapter is on applications of copulas in hydrology. It begins with the topic of the multivariate return period and multivariate quantiles and goes on to discuss two applications. The first application of copulas involves the estimation of runoff from an ungagged catchment using the geomorphological instantaneous unit hydrograph (GIUH) and the second application is on bivariate modeling of infiltration and rainfall intensity.

Chapter 2 deals with artificial neural network (ANN)-based modeling of hydrologic processes. Starting with a discussion of differences between physically based models and ANN, it provides a historical overview of ANN development, Kolmogorov’s theorem, general ANN structure, development of an ANN, and applications of ANN to several case studies.

Bankfull frequency in rivers is the theme of Chapter 3. The chapter discusses field indicators and minimum width-to-depth ratio for the identification of bankfull discharge, determination of bankfull discharge for gauged as well as ungauged sites, and computation of bankfull frequency.

Chapter 4 deals with climate change and hydrological hazards. It describes climate change impacts, climate change projection over the southern United States, and droughts and floods as impacted by climate change. The focus of Chapter 5 is on climate change and hydrologic modeling. Starting with a discussion of emission scenarios, it presents global climate models, hydrologic models, dynamic downscaling, statistical downscaling, predictor selection in statistical downscaling, and uncertainty analysis.

Climate change and urban water systems are presented in Chapter 6. The chapter presents principles for adapting urban water systems to climate change; predicted climate changes impacting rain; water levels in marine waters, lakes, and rivers; and pressures on groundwater. It then discusses changes in performances of urban water systems, adaptation of urban water systems, and options for adapting the urban drainage system.

Chapter 7 is on climate change impacts on hydrology and water resources. It first discusses climate change and variability, and then causes of climate change, climate change and the hydrologic cycle components. Thereafter, it deals with impacts of climate change on water management, managing climate change risks, the Nyanyadzi River catchment water resources system, climate change scenarios, baseline climate and hydrologic data, and projected hydroclimatological changes. Uncertainty, impact, and adaptation under climate change are discussed in Chapter 8, which deals with the climate change concept, climate and nonclimate scenarios in future periods, atmospheric ocean general circulation models (AOGCM) models, downscaling, climate change uncertainty, impact assessment, adaption and a case study.

Dam risk and uncertainty are presented in Chapter 9. The chapter deals with risk, reliability and uncertainty analysis; Monte Carlo simulation and Latin hypercube sampling; frequency analysis; dam overtopping; and methodology including dam risk model, overtopping risk model, flood model, wind model, outlet test, flood frequency analysis, statistical characteristics of uncertainty factors, overtopping probability due to different floods, and overtopping risk due to floods and wind.

Design rainfall estimation and changes constitute the theme of Chapter 10, which first describes design rainfall estimation at a site and in a region, factors affecting regional frequency methods, and regional frequency estimation for gauged and ungauged sites. The chapter then discusses data collation, model selection, at-site quantile estimation, uncertainty estimation in regional design rainfall estimation, and impacts of climate change on design rainfall estimation.

Discretization in urban watersheds is presented in Chapter 11. Introducing urban drainage models and distributed parameter hydrologic models, the chapter discusses discretization issues in urban hydrology, imperviousness in urban hydrology, measurements of performance, and the modeling approach including methodology, case studies, and urban modeling. Then, the modeling experimental setup, peak flow rate estimation, representative elemental area, and performance measures are discussed.

Drought indices for drought risk assessment in a changing climate are presented in Chapter 12. The chapter discusses drought monitoring and drought indicators and indices, and gives a history of drought indicators and indices, including standardized precipitation index, standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index, Palmer drought severity index, crop moisture index, self-calibrated Palmer drought severity index, deciles, surface water supply index, U.S. drought monitor, and other indices. The chapter concludes with drought indices in a changing climate.

Chapter 13 deals with flow and sediment transport modeling in rivers. Beginning with the grouping of erosion models, it presents a number of erosion models, computational models, choosing a model, evaluation of erosion models, selecting the scope of training and validation for simulation, and simple performance for more complex terrain.

Geostatistics applications are discussed in Chapter 14. Introducing sequential Gaussian simulation (SGSIM) and sequential indicator simulation, the chapter presents multiple-point geostatistical algorithms, such as iterative algorithms, sequential algorithms, and pattern-based algorithms as well as two examples. GIS applications in a changing climate are discussed in Chapter 15. Defining geographical information systems (GIS) and providing a short history of GIS, the chapter discusses components of GIS, geospatial tools for climate change, and arc catalog and its application to climate change. GIS-based upland erosion mapping is discussed in Chapter 16. Starting with a discussion of upland erosion processes and models, it describes rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length and steepness factors, cropping management and conservation practice, and upland erosion.

Chapter 17 reports on hybrid hydrologic modeling. Introducing lumped versus distributed models; empirical, conceptual, or physical models; and the hybrid modeling concept, it discusses modeling processes and algorithms of TREX and soil moisture accounting (SMA), and hybrid modeling application at California Gulch.

Hydrologic changes in mangrove ecosystems are discussed in Chapter 18. Providing a short description of geography and geological history of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna River system, the chapter discusses data and methodology, hydrological changes in the Sundarbans Mangrove region, water salinity approximation, water and soil salinity intrusion, degraded mangrove wetland ecosystem, threats to mangrove biodiversity, and the hydrological balance of mangrove ecosystems.

Stochastic processes for hydrologic modeling are presented in Chapter 19. Introducing probability theory, the chapter discusses discrete stochastic models and asymptotic stochastic models. Chapter 20 discusses hydrologic prediction and quantification of uncertainty. It first discusses hydrologic modeling and forecasting, state space models, inverse modeling and calibration, Monte Carlo simulation, and the frequentist approach versus Bayes’ theorem, and then input and validation uncertainty, structural and parameter uncertainty, methods for estimation of uncertainty including batch methods, sequential methods, multimodeling, deterministic verification, and probabilistic verification.

Impact of the development of vegetation on flow conditions and flood hazards is discussed in Chapter 21. Classifying vegetation into submerged and nonsubmerged vegetation, the chapter discusses the assessment of vegetation parameters; influence of submerged vegetation on main channel capacity; influence of vegetated banks and floodplains on flow conditions; flow resistance of vegetated channel bottom, banks, and floodplains; impact of seasonal development of vegetation on flow conditions; long-term development; and hydrological impacts of river vegetation.

Regional flood frequency analysis is reported in Chapter 22. The chapter first presents the basics of regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA), then discusses data requirements and data preparation, selection of probability distribution for at-site flood quantile estimation, method of L-moments, selection of predictor variables in IFFA, formation of regions in RFFA, assessment of degree of homogeneity, probabilistic rational method, index flood method, quantile regression technique, parameter regression technique, validation of an RFFA method, RFFA methods based on artificial neural networks, RFFA in arid regions, and impact of climate change on RFFA.

Chapter 23 discusses the regionalization of hydrological variables. It deals with regionalization concepts; hydrological variables, such as rainfall, flood, low flow, wind, and evapotranspiration; selection of model inputs; classification by cluster analysis; discriminant analysis and Andrews curves; regionalization approaches including geostatistics, index flood method, multiple regression, isoline mapping, hybrid method, L-moments, region of influence, regional envelope curves; and validation of regional models. The chapter is concluded with a discussion of case studies.

Remote sensing data and information for hydrological monitoring and modeling are discussed in Chapter 24. Beginning with a discussion of monitoring hydrological parameters, such as precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, snow, river and lake ice, water storage, water quality, and land use and land cover, the chapter discusses remote sensing in land surface modeling and flash flood guidance an forecasting.

Chapter 25 presents the significance of statistical tests and persistence in hydrologic processes. It includes the Mann-Kendall trend test, Daniels trend test, Kendall and Spearman cross-correlation tests, and modified statistical tests, effective sample size, and prewhitening. Statistical parameters used for hydrologic regime constitute the subject of Chapter 26. The chapter describes predevelopment flow regime, stream ecosystem health; streamflow and ecosystem; streamflow parameters including flow magnitude, flow distribution, flow duration curve, base flow index, and Colwell’s indices; and hydrologic matrices. Time series analysis of hydrologic data is dealt with in Chapter 27, which discusses properties of hydrologic time series, time series modeling, univariate modeling, multivariate modeling, disaggregation modeling, nonparametric models, simulation, forecasting, climate change implications, and parameter uncertainty.

Uncertainty of the probable maximum precipitation (PMP) and probable maximum flood (PMF) is discussed in Chapter 28. Defining the concepts of PMP and PMF, the chapter provides an overview of methods for estimating PMP and discusses the uncertainty of the PMP considering hydrometeorolgical factors, uncertainty of the PMP based on Hershfield’s method, and PMF estimation from PMP, sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo analysis, and statistical alternatives for estimating extreme floods.

The last chapter, Chapter 29, deals with the impact of urbanization on runoff regime. Beginning with a discussion of distribution of urban dual drainage components and imperviousness, stages of urban development vital to stream hydrology, effect of urbanization on water resources, flow alteration in urban hydrology, hydrological changes due to urban development, effect of urbanization on peak discharge and water yield, decline in streamflow due to reduced groundwater recharge, urban rainfall-runoff modeling, and managing and restoring urban rivers.

The book covers broad territory. The editor deserves to be complimented for assembling a broad array of chapters from around the world. The chapter authors are known for their contributions. The book will be a useful reference to a diverse community.