"River restoration has expanded exponentially in the last three decades, with increased investment by government agencies, private developers, and NGOs. The available literature -- both scholarly works and government guidance manuals -- has grown proportionately, but has been almost entirely about ecological, hydrological, and geomorphological aspects of restoration. Yet the primary issues faced by many restoration programs have more to do with legal, economic, and institutional barriers and public perception and acceptance, than with physical and ecological constraints (though these can be formidable as well). Diverse issues such as the installation of habitat structures and replanting along a small creek by a local group, or a major program to restore complex habitat, a more natural flow regime, and sediment supply to a river below a dam, require an understanding of the social dimensions of river restoration projects. For anyone funding, permitting, planning, designing, or building river restoration projects, a concise, up-to-date, clearly organized treatment of the critical socio-economic issues relevant to river restoration will be a very useful asset. Most people involved in restoration projects (ecologists, engineers, landscape architects, hydrologists) lack a strong background in the social sciences. Increasingly however, these professionals understand that they must consider social dimensions. This book will fill a critical gap in their libraries summarizing how social approaches can contribute to river restoration projects and policies. The aim of this book is to present and synthesize understanding from recent advances in social sciences related to river restoration. It will cover not only supposedly "intangible" social phenomena -- such as ethics, culture and justice -- but also very tangible practical aspects -- including policy, governance, project management, decision making and stakeholder interactions -- to give a complete picture of the sometimes complex interaction of issues in river restoration."-- Provided by publisher.