Water degradation Environmental degradation

1 water degradation

1.1 climate change , temperature
1.2 climate change , precipitation
1.3 population growth
1.4 agriculture
1.5 water management

water degradation

one major component of environmental degradation depletion of resource of fresh water on earth. approximately 2.5% of of water on earth fresh water, rest being salt water. 69% of fresh water frozen in ice caps located on antarctica , greenland, 30% of 2.5% of fresh water available consumption. fresh water exceptionally important resource, since life on earth dependent on it. water transports nutrients, minerals , chemicals within biosphere forms of life, sustains both plants , animals, , moulds surface of earth transportation , deposition of materials.

the current top 3 uses of fresh water account 95% of consumption; approximately 85% used irrigation of farmland, golf courses, , parks, 6% used domestic purposes such indoor bathing uses , outdoor garden , lawn use, , 4% used industrial purposes such processing, washing, , cooling in manufacturing centers. estimated 1 in 3 people on entire globe facing water shortages, one-fifth of world s population live in areas of physical water scarcity, , 1 quarter of world s population live in developing country lacks necessary infrastructure use water available rivers , aquifers. water scarcity increasing problem due many foreseen issues in future, including population growth, increased urbanization, higher standards of living, , climate change.

climate change , temperature

climate change affects earth s water supply in large number of ways. predicted mean global temperature rise in coming years due number of forces affecting climate, amount of atmospheric co2 rise, , both of these influence water resources; evaporation depends on temperature , moisture availability, can affect amount of water available replenish groundwater supplies.

transpiration plants can affected rise in atmospheric co2, can decrease use of water, can raise use of water possible increases of leaf area. temperature increase can decrease length of snow season in winter , increase intensity of snowmelt in warmer seasons, leading peak runoff of snowmelt earlier in season, affecting soil moisture, flood , drought risks, , storage capacities depending on area.

warmer winter temperatures cause decrease in snowpack, can result in diminished water resources during summer. important @ mid-latitudes , in mountain regions depend on glacial runoff replenish river systems , groundwater supplies, making these areas increasingly vulnerable water shortages on time; increase in temperature result in rapid rise in water melting glaciers in summer, followed retreat in glaciers , decrease in melt , consequently water supply every year size of these glaciers smaller , smaller.

thermal expansion of water , increased melting of oceanic glaciers increase in temperature gives way rise in sea level, can affect fresh water supply of coastal areas well; river mouths , deltas higher salinity pushed further inland, intrusion of saltwater results in increase of salinity in reservoirs , aquifers. sea-level rise may consequently caused depletion of groundwater, climate change can affect hydrologic cycle in number of ways. uneven distributions of increased temperatures , increased precipitation around globe results in water surpluses , deficits, global decrease in groundwater suggests rise in sea level, after meltwater , thermal expansion accounted for, can provide positive feedback problems sea-level rise causes fresh-water supply.

a rise in air temperature results in rise in water temperature, significant in water degradation, water become more susceptible bacterial growth. increase in water temperature can affect ecosystems because of species sensitivity temperature, , inducing changes in body of water s self-purification system decreased amounts of dissolved oxygen in water due rises in temperature.

climate change , precipitation

a rise in global temperatures predicted correlate increase in global precipitation, because of increased runoff, floods, increased rates of soil erosion, , mass movement of land, decline in water quality probable, while water carry more nutrients, carry more contaminants. while of attention climate change directed towards global warming , greenhouse effect, of severe effects of climate change changes in precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, , soil moisture. expected that, on average, global precipitation increase, areas receiving increases , decreases.

climate models show while regions should expect increase in precipitation, such in tropics , higher latitudes, other areas expected see decrease, such in subtropics; cause latitudinal variation in water distribution. areas receiving more precipitation expected receive increase during winter , become drier during summer, creating more of variation of precipitation distribution. naturally, distribution of precipitation across planet uneven, causing constant variations in water availability in respective locations.

changes in precipitation affect timing , magnitude of floods , droughts, shift runoff processes, , alter groundwater recharge rates. vegetation patterns , growth rates directly affected shifts in precipitation amount , distribution, in turn affect agriculture natural ecosystems. decreased precipitation deprive areas of water, causing water tables fall , reservoirs , wetlands, rivers, , lakes empty, , possibly increase in evaporation , evapotranspiration, depending on accompanied rise in temperature. groundwater reserves depleted, , remaining water has greater chance of being of poor quality saline or contaminants on land surface.

population growth

world population growth in lin-log scale.

the human population on earth expanding rapidly goes hand in hand degradation of environment @ large measures. humanity s appetite needs disarranging environment s natural equilibrium. production industries venting smoke , discharging chemicals polluting water resources. smoke emitted atmosphere holds detrimental gases such carbon monoxide , sulfur dioxide. high levels of pollution in atmosphere form layers absorbed atmosphere. organic compounds such chlorofluorocarbons (cfc’s) have generated unwanted opening in ozone layer, emits higher levels of ultraviolet radiation putting globe @ large threat.

the available fresh water being affected climate being stretched across ever-increasing global population. estimated quarter of global population living in area using more 20% of renewable water supply; water use rise population while water supply being aggravated decreases in streamflow , groundwater caused climate change. though areas may see increase in freshwater supply uneven distribution of precipitation increase, increased use of water supply expected.

an increased population means increased withdrawals water supply domestic, agricultural, , industrial uses, largest of these being agriculture, believed major non-climate driver of environmental change , water deterioration. next 50 years last period of rapid agricultural expansion, larger , wealthier population on time demand more agriculture.

population increase on last 2 decades, @ least in united states, has been accompanied shift increase in urban areas rural areas, concentrates demand water areas, , puts stress on fresh water supply industrial , human contaminants. urbanization causes overcrowding , increasingly unsanitary living conditions, in developing countries, in turn exposes increasingly number of people disease. 79% of world s population in developing countries, lack access sanitary water , sewer systems, giving rises disease , deaths contaminated water , increased numbers of disease-carrying insects.

agriculture

water pollution due dairy farming in wairarapa in new zealand

agriculture dependent on available soil moisture, directly affected climate dynamics, precipitation being input in system , various processes being output, such evapotranspiration, surface runoff, drainage, , percolation groundwater. changes in climate, changes in precipitation , evapotranspiration predicted climate models, directly affect soil moisture, surface runoff, , groundwater recharge.

in areas decreasing precipitation predicted climate models, soil moisture may substantially reduced. in mind, agriculture in areas needs irrigation already, depletes fresh water supplies both physical use of water , degradation agriculture causes water. irrigation increases salt , nutrient content in areas not affected, , damages streams , rivers damming , removal of water. fertilizer enters both human , livestock waste streams enter groundwater, while nitrogen, phosphorus, , other chemicals fertilizer can acidify both soils , water. agricultural demands may increase more others increasingly wealthier global population, , meat 1 commodity expected double global food demand 2050, directly affects global supply of fresh water. cows need water drink, more if temperature high , humidity low, , more if production system cow in extensive, since finding food takes more effort. water needed in processing of meat, , in production of feed livestock. manure can contaminate bodies of freshwater, , slaughterhouses, depending on how managed, contribute waste such blood, fat, hair, , other bodily contents supplies of fresh water.

the transfer of water agricultural urban , suburban use raises concerns agricultural sustainability, rural socioeconomic decline, food security, increased carbon footprint imported food, , decreased foreign trade balance. depletion of fresh water, applied more specific , populated areas, increases fresh water scarcity among population , makes populations susceptible economic, social, , political conflict in number of ways; rising sea levels forces migration coastal areas other areas farther inland, pushing populations closer breaching borders , other geographical patterns, , agricultural surpluses , deficits availability of water induce trade problems , economies of areas. climate change important cause of involuntary migration , forced displacement according food , agriculture organization of united nations, global greenhouse gas emissions animal agriculture exceeds of transportation.

water management

a stream in town of amlwch, anglesey contaminated acid mine drainage former copper mine @ nearby parys mountain.

the issue of depletion of fresh water can met increased efforts in water management. while water management systems flexible, adaptation new hydrologic conditions may costly. preventative approaches necessary avoid high costs of inefficiency , need rehabilitation of water supplies, , innovations decrease overall demand may important in planning water sustainability.

water supply systems, exist now, based on assumptions of current climate, , built accommodate existing river flows , flood frequencies. reservoirs operated based on past hydrologic records, , irrigation systems on historical temperature, water availability, , crop water requirements; these may not reliable guide future. re-examining engineering designs, operations, optimizations, , planning, re-evaluating legal, technical, , economic approaches manage water resources important future of water management in response water degradation. approach water privatization; despite economic , cultural effects, service quality , overall quality of water can more controlled , distributed. rationality , sustainability appropriate, , requires limits overexploitation , pollution, , efforts in conservation.