Sandra Postel takes readers around the world to explore water projects that work with, rather than against, nature's rhythms. In New Mexico, forest rehabilitation is safeguarding drinking water; along the Mississippi River, farmers are planting cover crops to reduce polluted runoff; and in China, "sponge cities" are capturing rainwater to curb urban flooding. Efforts like these will be essential as climate change disrupts both weather patterns and...

"No doubt about it, water is pretty important! And all living things on Earth--from big blue whales to teeny-tiny bacteria--need water. But our world is currently facing some serious water problems: drinkable water isn't easily accessible to everyone, the demands for water around the globe are increasing but the supply is limited, and some human actions are causing disastrous ripple effects downstream for ecosystems and the animals that live in them....