A volume from the "Studies in Geophysics" series of the National Research Council entitled: "Scientific Basis of Water-Resources Management" UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY RESTON, VA. 22092 In Reply Refer To: September 20, 1984 WGS-Mail Stop 411 GROUND WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 84.03 Subject: PUBLICATIONS--A volume from the "Studies in Geophysics" series of the National Research Council entitled: "Scientific Basis of Water- Resources Management" This volume contains two papers primarily concerned with ground water. The paper by Bredehoeft, Papdopulos, and Cooper on the "water budget myth" reexamines the principles that affect the response of aquifers to development by wells. Although C. V. Theis, in his 1940 paper entitled "The source of water derived from wells: Essential factors controlling the response of any aquifer to development" stated these principles clearly, the authors believe that the need to repeat the message is evidenced by ground-water management practice in some areas. The paper by Nielson and Biggar considers flow and solute transport through the "vadose zone." They illustrate the need to consider chemical, physical, and microbiological principles together to fully understand the nature of flow and solute transport in the vadose zone. Many of the other papers in this volume, while less directly concerned with ground water, nonetheless contain information and perspectives that should be of interest to ground-water hydrologists. In addition, the discussions on prediction versus understanding, empirical versus casual models, and local versus global scale in the section "Overview and Recommendations" are stimulating and are relevant to all aspects of hydrology. A copy of this volume is being sent to each District Office. We recommend that these volumes be brought to the attention of the ground-water hydrologists. (s) Charles A. Appel for Eugene P. Patten Chief, Ground Water Branch Distribution: A, B, FO, PO