It was the all the fault of our very big brains: both the novel and the end of civilization. Glad we figured that out!
The Flow of Power: Ancient Water Systems and Landscapes (A School for Advanced Research Resident Scholar Book) by Vernon L. Scarborough
A wonderful synthesis of, and rationale for the study of, the variety of interactions between ancient landscapes, engineered water systems, and people. Scarborough has: "attempted to address [admirably] the question of how we culturally allocate water and the labor force that redirects it." "In short [he tells us after 165 pages😊], the study of water management affords the best chance for a truly cross-cultural understanding of resource use and control and the key elements of power."
