[.ca] Vadose Zone Hydrology (ISBN 0873714326)

Vadose Zone Hydrology:
The basic concepts and theory of vadose zone hydrology is presented. The text is well written and organized. I've found the information on vadose zone monitoring, characterizing, and deep soil-water movement very useful. The author also presents case studies which demonstrate the practical application of the subject matter.

A good geoscience textbook for understanding the vadose zone:
I have used Dan Stephens' book as a textbook in a graduate-level Geology class on the vadose zone. It was ideal. A lot of unsaturated zone books have been published in the last several years, but none of the others was suitable for my purposes. Dan is an engaging speaker and teacher with lots of real-world experience, both as a teacher/researcher at New Mexico Tech and as an environmental consultant specializing in vadose zone problems. His experience comes across in this book, as does his personable way of presenting the information. Yes, there are equations. But this is not a soil physics textbook as much as it is a geosciences perspective on the vadose zone. This perspective is based on his extensive experience in arid and semi-arid settings, but some of his comments shed light on vadose zone processes in more humid climates. I should add that his treatment of this dry subject is not "dry", and relatively easy to read given the textbook breadth of material covered. Each paragraph could be expanded into a separate dissertation. Stephens has condensed a wealth of material, both practical and theoretical. I recommend it.