Jordan Basin
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
One of every six people do not have sufficient access to clean water, and this situation will almost certainly get worse.
Unconfined Aquifer Recharge Area Precipitation Confined Recharge Area Evaporation and transpiration Evaporation
Runoff
Flowing artesian well Infiltration Water table Less permeable material such as clay
Recharge Stream Unconfined Aquifer Well requiring a pump Infiltration Unconfined aquifer Confined aquifer
Lake
Groundwater
Zone of saturation Water table
Aquifers
Natural recharge
Surface Water
Surface runoff Watershed (drainage) basin
Eastern U.S.
Western U.S. Groundwater withdrawal 50%
Average annual precipitation (centimeters) Less than 41 41-81 81-122 More than 122
Acute shortage Shortage Adequate supply Metropolitan regions with population greater than 1 million
Stepped Art
Freshwater Shortages
Causes of water scarcity
Dry climate Too many people
While most people living in Western Europe can access safe water, only 50% of people living in Central Africa can do this. The largest population without access to safe tap water is in China (25%)
waterwiki.net/index.php/Unsafe_Water
Climatic changes
Restoration efforts
Reverse osmosis
15,000 plants in 125 countries
Ashkelon Plant supplies 15% of Israels Households water needsLargest plant in 2005
Nonpoint sources
Runoff of chemicals and sediment Agriculture Control is difficult and expensive
Pollution in Streams
Arsenic
Protecting groundwater prevention is best!
Ocean Pollution
Coastal areas highly productive ecosystems
Occupied by 40% of population Twice that population by 2050 About 80% marine pollution originates on land
Heavy oil
Sinks and kills bottom organisms Coral reefs die