This story is a supplement to the feature "Facing the Freshwater Crisis" which was printed in the August 2008 issue of Scientific American.
Lots of Water, but Not Always Where It Is Needed
One hundred and ten thousand cubic kilometers of precipitation, nearly 10 times the volume of Lake Superior, falls from the sky onto the earth’s land surface every year. This huge quantity would be enough to easily fulfill the requirements of everyone on the planet if the water arrived where and when people needed it. But much of it cannot be captured (top), and the rest is distributed unevenly (bottom).
Where does the rain go?
More than half of the precipitation that falls on land is never available for capture or storage because it evaporates from the ground or transpires from plants; this fraction is called green water. The remainder channels into so-called blue-water sources—rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers—that people can tap directly. Farm irrigation from these free-flowing bodies is the biggest single human use of freshwater. Cities and industries consume only tiny amounts of total freshwater resources, but the intense local demand they create often drains the surroundings of ready supplies.
Water supplies today
Much of the Americas and northern Eurasia enjoy abundant water supplies. But several regions are beset by greater or lesser degrees of “physical” scarcity—whereby demand exceeds local availability. Other areas, among them Central Africa, parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, contend with “economic” water scarcity, where lack of technical training, bad governments or weak finances limit access even though sufficient supplies are available.
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11 Comments
Add CommentGreat graphics. Presumably, from looking at the geographical regions on the map, those areas listed as "Not estimated" are of that disposition because of their low population densities? Surely it's not because they are not important. These regions clearly prone to water shortage, as they are clearly desert regions on the planet of one form or another. What was the source of this data? How was it collected?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHi mr I see the world map and the places with water problems are the countrys with politics problems like in the midle east, and africa with the
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiscorrupcion of many countrys or the coldest areas or in desertic areas
with the help of organizacions o goberments can give wather to that places
just unit to that regiones needed of water, all groups can help united for
make better places fr the people and the gevern with power should press
for make it
Why not clean ocean water with the excedent of money of big industries
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thislike the telephons, cel phones, tv network who obtain money only with
the imagens virtuales on tv or movies they can help or other industries
and grow the deserts with wather from the oceans
So, if all of the world's residents completely stopped using water for industry, business, landscape irrigation, swimming pools and personal consumption, it would save one tenth of one percent of Earth's fresh water. Targeting residents with extensive water conservation campaigns is a woefully misplaced effort.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think almost 60% map area is at water scacity risk the only way to come
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisis to store rain water in ponds , lakes, dames, more importantly by individual . At residence every body has to make big tank ( inthe garden, underneath of drawing room etc) to store water for 4 months. this will solve
atleast drinking water problems for summer seasion.
thankyou, rcdohare25@yahoo.co.in
You map is telling me that the water shortages are occurring in regions that have a water shortage during El Nino events (or close to that threshold). I marry that with the Great Pacific Climate Shift of early 1976, from which time the Pacific Ocean has been biased towards El Nino events, and I see the obvious association.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe question is whether the Pacific will realign itself or whether those regions that were quite inhabitable prior to the shift but are suffering badly since that event should either be abandoned or alternative water supplies provided (e.g. desalination).
We need visionaries in this world. Farouk el Bas, having been finely honed by time, is one of those individuals. His goal, his paths and his well sculptured preordained destiny are seemingly set in stone and the harvest and benefits from his efforts are immeasurable.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA Man with a Humanitarian Destiny
We need visionaries in this world. Farouk el Bas, having been finely honed by time, is one of those individuals. His goal, his paths and his well sculptured preordained destiny are seemingly set in stone and the harvest and benefits from his efforts are immeasurable.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA-Man-with-a-umanitarian-Destiny.100403">
A Man with a Humanitarian Destiny
Dear Sir.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am very grateful for so didactic reflect of the impairment of fresh water in different areas of the planet, mainly in my country Peru, where there is indeed plenty of fresh water, we have the world's largest river (the Amazon River) we have an area of rain (jungle) that covers almost 40% of our territory, the are glaciers north and south of our mountains, we have lakes, wetlands, rivers, etc. but in almost 80% of our territory the population lacks of water drinking and suffer from diseases. Obviously is a lack of public policy for water and sanitation. My country is looking to exit the sub development, however much needed private investment through concessions and a lot of public investment in infrastructure.
Thanks again.
http://alonsosarmiento.googlepages.com
I firmly believe that the GEM Energy ~ www.omegacellenergy.com ~ will be able to reverse engineer water in those regions where it is needed the most. This, of course, will take scientific minds to unravel the how to scenario.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe feel a challenge is necessary to save the planet. Any companies with the right resources will be asked to test this new GEM Energy. Spread the word.
This whole report is devoted to fresh water crisis, reflecting the urgency and pertinence of the issue.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne fears that the dire need and thirst for clean-cum-fresh water with diminishing supply and the alarming increase of world population might trigger conflicts among neighboring countries within the next few decades.
Conservation certainly helps, but it may not last. Desalination at a cheap cost would be most desirable. With the unpredictable and shifting rainfall as a result of the climate change, converting sea-water to fresh water remains the best solution.
(btt1943)