Book excerpt: The movement of groundwater is a basic part of soil mechanics. It is an important part of almost every area of civil engineering, agronomy, geology, irrigation, and reclamation. Moreover, the logical structure of its theory appeals to engineering scientists and applied mathematicians. This book aims primarily at providing the engineer with an organized and analytical approach to the solutions of seepage problems and an understanding of the design and analysis of earth structures that impound water. It can be used for advanced courses in civil, hydraulic, agricultural, and foundation engineering, and will prove useful to consulting engineers — or any public or private agency responsible for building or maintaining water storage or control systems. Among the special features of this book are its coverage of previously unavailable Russian work in the field, an extensive appendix of concepts in advanced engineering mathematics needed to deal with physical flow systems, and numerous completely worked-out and solved examples coupled with over 200 problems of varying difficulty.