Lake Mead, seen here from the Hoover Dam, is at a record low level due to years of drought, which have depleted the flow of the Colorado River that feeds it. The white "bathtub ring" of mineral deposits on the rocky embankments indicates the high water levels of wetter years in the past....[More]
UNSIGHTLY BATHTUB RING
Lake Mead, seen here from the Hoover Dam, is at a record low level due to years of drought, which have depleted the flow of the Colorado River that feeds it. The white "bathtub ring" of mineral deposits on the rocky embankments indicates the high water levels of wetter years in the past. This artificial lake and reservoir, the nation's largest, provides most of the water for fast-growing Las Vegas, Nev.
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Orjan F. Ellingvag/ Dagens Naringsliv/Corbis
DRIED UP AND OUT OF LUCK
Li Shujun, a 51-year-old farmer in Wuhuanchi, a small town in Liaoning Province, China, squats on his desiccated pond. The region has been hit with its worst drought in 30 years, leaving a million people without a sufficient supply of freshwater....[More]
DRIED UP AND OUT OF LUCK
Li Shujun, a 51-year-old farmer in Wuhuanchi, a small town in Liaoning Province, China, squats on his desiccated pond. The region has been hit with its worst drought in 30 years, leaving a million people without a sufficient supply of freshwater.
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Ren Yong/Xinhua Press/Corbis
LEAKY LIFELINE
The All American Canal, which shuttles crucial irrigation water from the Colorado River to the valuable croplands of California's Imperial Valley, loses huge quantities of water from ground seepage and evaporation....[More]
LEAKY LIFELINE
The All American Canal, which shuttles crucial irrigation water from the Colorado River to the valuable croplands of California's Imperial Valley, loses huge quantities of water from ground seepage and evaporation. The 82-mile (132-kilometer) canal is the only source of water for the parched, but highly productive region.
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Charles O'Rear/Corbis
DRIP, DRIP, DRIP
Slow leaks from spigots and pipes can add up to substantial water losses over time. Experts say that small leaks in the water system of the average U.S. home can waste thousands of gallons (liters) each year....[More]
DRIP, DRIP, DRIP
Slow leaks from spigots and pipes can add up to substantial water losses over time. Experts say that small leaks in the water system of the average U.S. home can waste thousands of gallons (liters) each year.
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ultra.f/Corbis
DESERT SPRAWL
Experts question whether it makes sense to build fast-growing cities, such as Las Vegas, Nev., [shown here], in parched regions of the world. Nevertheless, concerted efforts to conserve municipal water supplies can help stave off shortages....[More]
DESERT SPRAWL
Experts question whether it makes sense to build fast-growing cities, such as Las Vegas, Nev., [shown here], in parched regions of the world. Nevertheless, concerted efforts to conserve municipal water supplies can help stave off shortages. Although Las Vegas's population has jumped from 1.6 million to two million in the last five years, annual water usage has declined by about 15 billion gallons (57 billion liters), according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
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Brooks Kraft/Corbis
DESICCATION NATION
During a 1999 drought, a woman in Makueni, Kenya, draws life-giving water from a well. Although Kenya has received enough rainfall this year to support normal crop cultivation, the nearby Horn of Africa is currently coping with less than half of the region's average annual precipitation level....[More]
DESICCATION NATION
During a 1999 drought, a woman in Makueni, Kenya, draws life-giving water from a well. Although Kenya has received enough rainfall this year to support normal crop cultivation, the nearby Horn of Africa is currently coping with less than half of the region's average annual precipitation level.
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Reuters/Corbis
BEST PLANS GONE ASTRAY
Despite a seemingly all-inclusive agreement to share the water resources of Australia's Murray-Darling River Basin between the local farming interests and the surrounding natural ecosystem, a severe, five-year drought has depleted the region's total supply, as shown here by the cracks in a dam on the Darling River near Parkes in western New South Wales....[More]
BEST PLANS GONE ASTRAY
Despite a seemingly all-inclusive agreement to share the water resources of Australia's Murray-Darling River Basin between the local farming interests and the surrounding natural ecosystem, a severe, five-year drought has depleted the region's total supply, as shown here by the cracks in a dam on the Darling River near Parkes in western New South Wales. Researchers estimate that the country's longest river has already lost half its natural water flow and predict that by 2030 climate change will have further reduced it another 20 percent.
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David Gray/Reuters/Corbis
CONSERVE IRRIGATION WATER
Crop irrigation consumes more freshwater than any other individual human use of the resource. Lining and covering irrigation canals to avoid ground seepage and evaporation could save huge amounts of water....[More]
CONSERVE IRRIGATION WATER
Crop irrigation consumes more freshwater than any other individual human use of the resource. Lining and covering irrigation canals to avoid ground seepage and evaporation could save huge amounts of water.
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Leslie B Bohm/iStockphoto
WATER IS NOT FREE
Freshwater in the developed world has traditionally been priced so low that users there have had no incentive to conserve it. Higher water costs would enlist market pressures to help drive people to reduce waste....[More]
WATER IS NOT FREE
Freshwater in the developed world has traditionally been priced so low that users there have had no incentive to conserve it. Higher water costs would enlist market pressures to help drive people to reduce waste.
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Adam Kazmierski/iStockphoto
TRADING "VIRTUAL" WATER
Rather than sending freshwater to chronically dry regions around the globe, it often makes more sense to ship so-called virtual water in the form of foodstuffs and other products, such as the fruit on this cargo barge....[More]
TRADING "VIRTUAL" WATER
Rather than sending freshwater to chronically dry regions around the globe, it often makes more sense to ship so-called virtual water in the form of foodstuffs and other products, such as the fruit on this cargo barge. Virtual water is defined as the water farmers and manufacturers use to produce goods. Such substitute water transfers can reduce political friction over water supply allocations among neighboring countries.
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image100/Corbis
DRY SANITATION SAVES WATER
Municipal hygiene systems use substantial quantities of freshwater to remove human waste from urban and suburban areas so that it can be processed at a central location....[More]
DRY SANITATION SAVES WATER
Municipal hygiene systems use substantial quantities of freshwater to remove human waste from urban and suburban areas so that it can be processed at a central location. So-called dry sanitation technologies, such as that employed in the Gebers Housing Project in Sweden, can save much of this freshwater for other applications. These decentralized systems first separate urine from feces and then safely recycle each for use as crop fertilizers.
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gtz ecosan, Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH. Eschborn, Germany
MANUFACTURING FRESHWATER
Florida's Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant produces 25 million gallons (95 million liters) of freshwater daily by extracting salt from water pumped in from the Gulf of Mexico....[More]
MANUFACTURING FRESHWATER
Florida's Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant produces 25 million gallons (95 million liters) of freshwater daily by extracting salt from water pumped in from the Gulf of Mexico. Although modern desalination plants like this one employ high-efficiency reverse-osmosis technology to filter salt out of seawater, the high-pressure process consumes considerable amounts of energy. New desalination techniques now under development promise to cut process costs substantially.
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David Sailors/Corbis
PIPE DOWN
The municipal water distribution systems of many large U.S. cities were installed more than half a century ago. Researchers expect that the deterioration of this aging infrastructure will increasingly threaten the safety of public freshwater supplies....[More]
PIPE DOWN
The municipal water distribution systems of many large U.S. cities were installed more than half a century ago. Researchers expect that the deterioration of this aging infrastructure will increasingly threaten the safety of public freshwater supplies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency projects that the nation will need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars during the next decade to replace worn-out pipes to reduce leakage and keep drinking water free of germs and pollution.
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David Butow/Corbis
YES! Send me a free issue of Scientific American with no obligation to continue the subscription. If I like it, I will be billed for the one-year subscription.
This in-depth report on world water crisis is absolutely pertinent and timely. I could not concur more with what SciAm has said. The world is gradually yet certainly running dry of fresh and clean water. It is a global problem, practically all nations are affected, some definitely much more seriously. It is a crucial issue of gigantic proportion not to be ignored. Every one of us plays a part in reducing waste of precious water.
The articles (augmented by the striking images) discuss in details what I have to say. Indeed, I wrote on the topic of conservation of water a decade ago, arguing that even the technology of desalination of sea water was available, the cost was beyond most people. It is still (despite the new and advanced hi-tech) tremendously expensive to transport clean drinkable to the vast inland areas of Asia and Africa.
Use water wisely, or face the ugly consequences much sooner than one would have thought.
The tough part is solving these problems with reference to the other challenges we face as a society. One can't disagree with the implications from the slide show, but our solutions, alas, are not limited to simply noting the obvious technical response. I think conservation needs to be a more important role, but there will have to be sacrifices from agriculture, recreation, and business communities. My concern is that the only sacrifice I hear is from the "other guy." Thanks to Scientific American for their stimulating vignette.
India a Nation with its own Culture, Religion which respect the Mother earth, Father Sun & Flow of Water thru rivers..........The traditional lifestyle here is really Sustainable. Even with one Sixth Population of the world India is not in the list of most polluting Countries.
We need to Redefine the Definition of Development especially for Developed Countries ...who feel proud & are most dangerous to the planet earth...When are we changing our definition ......Countries will start following the trend we set..............Most Sustainable Countries
Difficult to purify, expensive to transport and IMPOSSIBLE to SUBSTITUTE water is the most essential natural resource - hence it need to be used more judiciously . This is the message explained through the slide show - excellent.
Dr.E.V.Ramasamy
India
Difficult to purify, expensive to transport and IMPOSSIBLE to SUBSTITUTE water is the most essential natural resource - hence it need to be used more judiciously . This is the message explained through the slide show - excellent.
Dr.E.V.Ramasamy
India
URGENT NEED FOR CLOUD SEEDING TO INCREASE RAINFALL Prof.T.Shivaji Rao, http://shivajirao32.googlepages.com/sci%26techofcloudseeding-11 http://sites.google.com/site/shivajiraocloudseeding/scienceofcloudseeding
The key role played by a good water supply as an engine of economic growth and as a yard stick of public welfare and national prosperity has been well recognized by the intellectuals of the developed countries like USA who aptly named water as the “Blue Gold”. The more the water wealth of a nation the higher will be the opportunities for achieving high rates of progress in the fields of agriculture production and industrial growth that help in promoting economic wealth, employment opportunities and higher standards of living. Hence the advanced countries are constantly upgrading their water resources by harnessing not only all the ground and surface waters but also by tapping a renewable, virtually unlimited and unexploited sky water resource in the atmosphere in the form of innumerable clouds. Enlightened scientists, bureaucrats, industrialists and statesmen in about 50 countries are frequently using cloud seeding operations for over 40 years for various purposes like 1. Increase of annual rainfall for drinking and agricultural purposes, 2. dispersal of fog in airports and metropolitan city roads 3. Increase of hydro-power generation at the cheapest cost 4. Suppression of hail storms to reduce damage to life, crops and properties 5. mitigation of devastating impacts of recurring droughts 6. mitigation of damaging impacts of global warming and summer temperatures 7. increase of annual rain fall for improving the forests, wildlife and the environment Several progressive countries like USA, Australia, China, Thailand, European states, former states of USSR, Latin American states, Arab states, Indonesia and Pakistan are gettinghighly benefited by employing the advanced cloud seeding technologies for the above purposes.. Several Indian states interested in promoting economic growth, agriculture development and public welfare are eager to learn from the successful experiences of other countries like China and USA and adopt those technologies by making necessary modifications to suit the local meteorological, topographical, geographical and other environmental conditions. Cloud seeding is done to make some clouds to grow and give rain, and some clouds which give only about 10% to 20% of their water content as rainfall to increase the rainfall by seeding by 30 to 50% at a cost benefit ratio of 1:20 by using aeropla
A new type of desalination plant has been patented by a british engineer. It operates on sunlight alone and has no waste. He has set up a company called SOLAQUA LTD in the UK to manage manufacture and site installation of the new design. Any hot arid area with a coastline can produce unlimited fresh water with low capital outlay and zero running cost. The design is modular and the basic plant produces a million liters of fresh water per day. As many modules may be added as desired.
Blue-Green Acres
9 Comments
Add CommentAn excellent slide show. The suggestions if implimented earnestly save this world from freshwater shortage.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCherish our water resource, we will live longer and better. And we must use state of the art technology to make our earth survivable!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisExcellent!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis in-depth report on world water crisis is absolutely pertinent and timely. I could not concur more with what SciAm has said. The world is gradually yet certainly running dry of fresh and clean water. It is a global problem, practically all nations are affected, some definitely much more seriously. It is a crucial issue of gigantic proportion not to be ignored. Every one of us plays a part in reducing waste of precious water.
The articles (augmented by the striking images) discuss in details what I have to say. Indeed, I wrote on the topic of conservation of water a decade ago, arguing that even the technology of desalination of sea water was available, the cost was beyond most people. It is still (despite the new and advanced hi-tech) tremendously expensive to transport clean drinkable to the vast inland areas of Asia and Africa.
Use water wisely, or face the ugly consequences much sooner than one would have thought.
Save water. Or else&
(Tan Boon Tee)
The tough part is solving these problems with reference to the other challenges we face as a society. One can't disagree with the implications from the slide show, but our solutions, alas, are not limited to simply noting the obvious technical response. I think conservation needs to be a more important role, but there will have to be sacrifices from agriculture, recreation, and business communities. My concern is that the only sacrifice I hear is from the "other guy." Thanks to Scientific American for their stimulating vignette.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIndia a Nation with its own Culture, Religion which respect the Mother earth, Father Sun & Flow of Water thru rivers..........The traditional lifestyle here is really Sustainable. Even with one Sixth Population of the world India is not in the list of most polluting Countries.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe need to Redefine the Definition of Development especially for Developed Countries ...who feel proud & are most dangerous to the planet earth...When are we changing our definition ......Countries will start following the trend we set..............Most Sustainable Countries
Difficult to purify, expensive to transport and IMPOSSIBLE to SUBSTITUTE water is the most essential natural resource - hence it need to be used more judiciously . This is the message explained through the slide show - excellent.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDr.E.V.Ramasamy
India
Difficult to purify, expensive to transport and IMPOSSIBLE to SUBSTITUTE water is the most essential natural resource - hence it need to be used more judiciously . This is the message explained through the slide show - excellent.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDr.E.V.Ramasamy
India
URGENT NEED FOR CLOUD SEEDING TO INCREASE RAINFALL
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisProf.T.Shivaji Rao, http://shivajirao32.googlepages.com/sci%26techofcloudseeding-11 http://sites.google.com/site/shivajiraocloudseeding/scienceofcloudseeding
The key role played by a good water supply as an engine of economic growth and as a yard stick of public welfare and national prosperity has been well recognized by the intellectuals of the developed countries like USA who aptly named water as the “Blue Gold”. The more the water wealth of a nation the higher will be the opportunities for achieving high rates of progress in the fields of agriculture production and industrial growth that help in promoting economic wealth, employment opportunities and higher standards of living. Hence the advanced countries are constantly upgrading their water resources by harnessing not only all the ground and surface waters but also by tapping a renewable, virtually unlimited and unexploited sky water resource in the atmosphere in the form of innumerable clouds. Enlightened scientists, bureaucrats, industrialists and statesmen in about 50 countries are frequently using cloud seeding operations for over 40 years for various purposes like
1. Increase of annual rainfall for drinking and agricultural purposes,
2. dispersal of fog in airports and metropolitan city roads
3. Increase of hydro-power generation at the cheapest cost
4. Suppression of hail storms to reduce damage to life, crops and properties
5. mitigation of devastating impacts of recurring droughts
6. mitigation of damaging impacts of global warming and summer temperatures
7. increase of annual rain fall for improving the forests, wildlife and the environment
Several progressive countries like USA, Australia, China, Thailand, European states, former states of USSR, Latin American states, Arab states, Indonesia and Pakistan are gettinghighly benefited by employing the advanced cloud seeding technologies for the above purposes.. Several Indian states interested in promoting economic growth, agriculture development and public welfare are eager to learn from the successful experiences of other countries like China and USA and adopt those technologies by making necessary modifications to suit the local meteorological, topographical, geographical and other environmental conditions.
Cloud seeding is done to make some clouds to grow and give rain, and some clouds which give only about 10% to 20% of their water content as rainfall to increase the rainfall by seeding by 30 to 50% at a cost benefit ratio of 1:20 by using aeropla
A new type of desalination plant has been patented by a british engineer. It operates on sunlight alone and has no waste. He has set up a company called SOLAQUA LTD in the UK to manage manufacture and site installation of the new design.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAny hot arid area with a coastline can produce unlimited fresh water with low capital outlay and zero running cost.
The design is modular and the basic plant produces a million liters of fresh water per day. As many modules may be added as desired.