Our Water Resources

Before you take that 20 minute shower or water you lawn, you should read this section. From water quality to availability to the declining resources this section covers everything you need to understand how important it is to conserve our water

All life on Earth owes its existence to water. Without water, life on Earth as we know it could simply not be sustained. Therefore, water is clearly one of our most precious and valuable resources. So, why does it seem we're running out of it? First of all, it's important to take into account that 97.5% of all water on Earth is salt water. Of the remaining fresh water portion, over 2/3 is frozen in our glaciers and polar ice caps.

Britain'The majority of the rest is found in surface water. Water found in rivers, lakes, or freshwater wetlands is considered surface water.
These sources are naturally regulated by evaporation and run off into bodies of salt water, and replenished by rain and snowfall. There is also fresh water found below the surface of the Earth in the pore space of soil and rocks. Although fresh water is technically a renewable resource, the global supply of clean, fresh water is steadily being depleted. In many parts of the world, the demand for water simply exceeds the supply. As the world population continues to increase, it is expected that many other nations will encounter water shortages in the near future.
While the likelihood of climate change increases, so does the risk of increased water depletion. Rising temperatures may interfere with the Earth's natural hydrologic cycle, causing more evaporation and subsequent precipitation in regions that deviate from normal climatic patterns. This could lead to storms and floods in some parts of the world, while other parts experience droughts.

Water Crisis
Overall, climate change has had a negative on water resources as well as freshwater ecosystems. In the areas which runoff is projected to decline, it is expected that they will be subject to a reduction in the quality and value of the services provided by water resources. The potentially beneficial result of increased annual runoff in other areas is considered a moot point when the same area's negative effects of increased rain fall variability are taken into account.

Trends in both climatic as well as non-climatic factors will determine the future effects of climate change on the water resources of the United States and other parts of the world. Analysing these impacts can be difficult because the availability of water, the quality of water, and stream flow are incredibly sensitive to changes in precipitation and temperature. Other significant factors include increased demand for water due to population growth, economic changes, and changes in watershed characteristics.

An added element of uncertainty about the future of water resource management afforded by climate change is the fact that water resources in the United States are heavily managed and relatively scarce in many parts of the country. Several strategies have been developed to address this issue, but there is still a long way to go before the country is prepared for the potential crisis that could be created by climate change. The development and implementation of adaptation measures, like water conservation, the use of markets to allocate water, and the application of effective water management will play a very important role in determining the impacts on water resources that a climate change would bring.

Water Availability
The hydrologic cycle is defined as the movement of water between land surface, oceans and atmosphere. Water that is in the atmosphere is soon sent back to the land surface and oceans in the form of precipitation. When the water reaches the land surface, it will either become stream flow, or be absorbed into the soil where it may or may not be plants, or it will filter through to the groundwater. Eventually, water will make its way back into atmosphere via the process of evaporation from surface waters, or through transpiration from plants. This perpetual cycle is powered by solar energy. If there is an increase in net solar radiation or temperature, the process will be sped up.

Because of the intricate exchanges between the hydrologic cycle and global circulation patterns, a boost of energy to the hydrologic cycle won't necessarily result in increased precipitation in all geographic regions. Future changes that the precipitation patterns might endure can not easily be predicted. Similarly, predicting regional stream flow changes and changes in groundwater recharge caused by climate change are also very difficult to predict. This is due in part to the general uncertainty in regional predictions concerning how precipitation trends may change.

Changes in precipitation patterns, temperature, and snowmelt can all have significant impacts on the availability of water. The net impact on the water supply will depend primarily on changes in precipitation such as the total amount, seasonal timing and form. Higher temperatures will decrease water supplies by way of evaporation. In general, areas which see a sufficient increase in precipitation may find that net water supplies may not be affected at all, or in some cases even increase. In areas where precipitation remains the same or decreases, it is expected that water supplies will diminish. In those areas that see a decrease of water, the demand for water will likely rise.

This may have a substantial impact on agriculture, as it is the largest water consuming industry. Other municipal as well as industrial outfits that are dependent on the water supply may have their operations compromised due to a dwindling supply and cost inflating demand.

Upward trends in temperature can affect the amount of snowfall, as well as the duration of time that it lasts on the ground. This in turn can affect the timing of stream flow. Recent studies have shown drastic declination of many glaciers. It is expected that glaciers will continue their trend of retreating, and several small glaciers may vanish altogether.

It is expected that peak stream flow may very well shift from late spring to early spring or late winter. Changes in stream flow can have serious impacts on water and food management and irrigation. If water supplies are in fact reduced, off-stream water users like irrigated agriculture as well as in-stream users such as fisheries, hydropower, and reaction and navigation could potentially be most affected by the shortage.

Water Quality
The occurrence of higher water temperatures, as well as changing in the timing, intensity, and duration of rainfall can drastically affect water quality. When water temperatures rise, dissolved oxygen levels are reduced, which can have a significant effect on sea life. Additionally, in areas where stream flow and lake levels drop, there will be far less dilution of pollutants. Increased frequency and intensity of precipitation can also produce more sedimentation and pollution.

Climate change in most regions will likely increase the probability and severity of floods, mostly as a result of more abundant and more intense rainfall. Rising temperatures are expected to heighten the climate's hydrologic cycle, and snow packs are expected to be melted much more rapidly. Flooding can dramatically affect the quality of water, because large amounts of water can effectively transport several contaminants into bodies of water as well as bog down storm and drainage systems.

Increased temperatures in the summer and earlier snowmelt can contribute a great deal to the probability of a drought. Not only is the risk increased, but the odds of the drought being severe are also increased. It's important to note that due to climate change, the risks of a drought as well as the chances of a flood can increase in the same region.

The rising sea levels may also potentially adversely affect freshwater quality by increasing the levels of saline of coastal bays and rivers, thereby causing a saltwater intrusion, which is fresh ground water found in coastal regions being invaded by saline water.

The repercussions of altered water supply quality are many. Higher temperatures and changes to the supply and quality could potentially affect the access and use of recreational rivers and lakes. The normal operations of commercial freshwater fisheries would also be jeopardized. Certain fish species may even find the rising temperatures to be too warm and proceed to migrate up north, causing a disturbance to the natural ecosystem.

In conclusion,
water resources are vital for sustaining life, supporting various sectors of the economy, and preserving ecosystems. Their sustainable management and conservation are critical to ensure a reliable and clean water supply for present and future generations.

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