Social hydrology

Water is a vital resource playing a dominant role affecting the very existence of humans on this planet. The question must be posed, as water engineers, scientists, hydrologists, and policymakers are we doing enough to make this precious resource sustainable for ourselves and future generations? This question is discussed in this chapter, with examples drawn from the past to the present. It has been found that as humans, we have done very well in many areas of management of water resources, but have failed in some areas that have been a source of misery to millions of people. In addition to our mathematical capabilities at our disposal to solve water-related problems, we have lessons to learn in the context of societal impacts of water and how we can play a bigger role in the society by connecting people with water to achieve sustainable water use across all its domains.