QGIS for Hydrological Applications

Book Overview: "QGIS for Hydrological Applications" by Hans van der Kwast and Kurt Menke

Key Themes:

1. Hydrological Applications with QGIS: The book focuses on using QGIS for hydrological applications, including catchment hydrology and water management.
2. GIS Skills: It introduces professionals in the water sector to the state-of-the-art functionality of QGIS 3.x, aiming to improve GIS skills through practical, real-world examples.
3. Practical Workflows: The book is structured as a QGIS workflow, with each chapter leading on from the next to culminate in all the skills needed to create functional and pleasing maps.
4. Real-World Examples: It includes practical exercises and real-world examples that can be executed in other software if needed, making it useful for anyone improving their GIS skills.

Plot Summary: The book is divided into eight chapters, each covering a specific aspect of hydrological applications with QGIS:

1. Preparing Data from Hard Copy Maps
2. Importing Tabular Data into QGIS
3. Spatial Analysis with Map Algebra
4. Stream and Catchment Delineation
5. Adding Open Data to Your Catchment
6. Calculating Percentage of Land Cover per Subcatchment
7. Map Design
8. Conclusion

Each chapter begins with a workflow showing what will be done in a step-by-step fashion, making it easy to follow. The book includes lab exercises, discussion questions, and links to videos with theory and explanations of the exercises.

Critical Reception: The book has received positive reviews for its practical approach and comprehensive coverage of hydrological applications using QGIS. Here are some key points from the critical reception:

• Kartoza Book Review: The review highlights that the book is not just for hydrologists but for anyone looking to improve their QGIS skills through practical, real-world examples. The reviewer appreciated the step-by-step workflows and the abundance of full-color screenshots, making it easy to follow.
• OCWGIS Course Outline: The course outline emphasizes that the book is designed to take advantage of the latest QGIS features, guiding users in improving their maps and analysis. It also mentions that the book can be used as a beginner’s course introducing GIS concepts in a problem-based learning manner.
• Barnes & Noble Overview: The overview on Barnes & Noble notes that the second edition adds new features and is updated to include more GIS skills for catchment hydrology and water management. It highlights the book's usefulness as a beginner's course and its comprehensive coverage of QGIS functionality.

Overall, "QGIS for Hydrological Applications" by Hans van der Kwast and Kurt Menke is a valuable resource for professionals in the water sector looking to improve their GIS skills, as well as beginners interested in learning GIS concepts through practical applications.