The world’s growing population faces the challenge of meeting ever-larger demands for  fresh water, not only for drinking but also for agriculture, industry and recreation. Already some one billion people are at risk from over-use, water withdrawals and pollution of these water bodies So scientific knowledge of the lakes and reservoirs, which hold about 90% of the world's surface fresh water, is increasingly critical to meeting the multiplicity of needs.

The Encyclopedia of Lakes and Reservoirs offers a comprehensive and authoritative review of physical, chemical and ecological characteristics of lakes and reservoirs, as well as describing their uses and environmental conditions and trends in all parts of the world.

More than 165 scientists from over 30 countries have contributed in both large and small ways to this authoritative volume. Superbly illustrated throughout, it includes some 200 entries in a wide range of topics, including acidification, artificialisation, biology, canals, climate change effects, chemicals, dams, dew ponds, drainage, ecological, eutrophication, evaporation, fisheries, geographical, geological, hydrological, hydro-electric power, nutrients, organic pollution, paleolimnology, reservoir capacities and depths, sedimentation, water resources.

These include many of the most current and most controversial environmental problems.