WaterWater

What is it good for…What is it good for…

1.2 Billion liters clean drinking waterclean drinking water a day (320 Million gallons)

1.8 Trillion liters agricultural / agricultural / industrial waterindustrial water a day

That's 6000 liters/day (1600 gallons) per person in N.A.For comparison:

World average 1800 liters/dayChina about 1100 liters/day

We use about 400 liters/day for personal use

vs. World average 90 liters/day

Use doubled in US from 1955-1985 (with population growth)

North America Uses...North America Uses...North America Uses...North America Uses...

This water needs to be present and clean

Therefore we need to measurewater quantity and water quality

in order to understand where problems lie

Water can be “renewable” if Use < Recharge

Water can be “renewable” if Pollution < Cleanup

Water for Human UseWater for Human Use

Instream useInstream use: Navigation, fish and wildlife, recreational uses

Offstream useOffstream use: Removal or diversion from its SW or GW sources temporarily - e.g., irrigation, thermoelectric, industrial use

Consumptive useConsumptive use: Type of offstream use of water without intermediate return to the SW or GW - e.g., transpiration and human use

*SW=Surface Water, GW=Ground Water

Water Use (SW & GW)*Water Use (SW & GW)*

Problems Arise From…Problems Arise From…

Not Enough Water Too Much Water Degraded (Polluted) Water

Not Enough Water Too Much Water Degraded (Polluted) Water

Water UseWater Use

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Water Use in AgricultureWater Use in Agriculture

1 kg of:Requires __ liters

water

potatoes 500

wheat 900

corn 1400

rice 1900broiler chicken

3,500

beef 100,000-200,0001 Quarter Pounder = 3,000 gallons water!

Water Use in IndustryWater Use in Industry

Energy Industry

Coal Power Plant

30-65 m3 of water/person/

year

Hydroelectric (in an arid region)

410 m3 of water/person/

year(evaporation)

Home Water UseHome Water Use

Measured in:Measured in:

GallonsLiters (1 gallon = 3.8 liters)Cubic meter (m3)- 264 gallons

Water on the EarthWater on the Earth

10.10.11

Recharge rate vs. Withdrawal rate

Rate of pollution vs. Rate of cleaning

Global Water SupplyGlobal Water Supply

Hydrologic CycleHydrologic CycleSun

Evaporation

Sublimation

Transpiration

Precipitation

Hydrologic CycleHydrologic CycleSun

Net movement of clouds toward

land

Extra water on land…

Hydrologic CycleHydrologic CycleSun

Surface Water Runoff

GroundwaterFlow & Discharge

Infiltration

Water Returns to Ocean

Global PrecipitationGlobal Precipitation

Available WaterAvailable WaterAnnual Precipitation

Runoff

Potential Evapotranspiration

All 3 factors together Local water supply

Too Much WaterToo Much Water

“Normal” (1988) Floods (1993)

Mississippi River(near St. Louis, MO)

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Lake Pontchartrain

Mississippi River

”A land between earth and sea, belonging to neither and alternately claimed by both." - Kolb and Van Topik

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Sea Level

Erosion & Subsidence:Loss of Coastal Marshes

Erosion & Subsidence:Loss of Coastal Marshes

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All told, more than 600,000 acres of wetlands have been lost in recent decades. Erosion rates as high as 40 acres in a day have been recorded.

Water ShortagesWater

Shortages

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Water Scarce(<1000 m3/yr/person)

Water Stressed(1700-1000 m3/yr/person)

Water ConflictWater ConflictEarliest Recorded (2500 B.C.):Border dispute between Lagash and Umma. Water diverted via canals.1672:French invade Netherlands. Dutch open the dikes and create an impenetrable flood barrier.1907-1913:Pipeline diverting water to L.A. repeatedly bombed to protect local water supply.1940-45:Hydroelectric dams repeatedly bombed during WWII.

1967:Israel takes over the Golan Heights to secure water supply from the Jordan River.

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Water PoliticsWater Politics

Trade in Food

International Agreements

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Where does our water come from?

Where does our water come from?

Surface Water(0.4% of all freshwater)

Groundwater(12% of all freshwater)

Amount of infiltrationinfiltration depends on:1.Surface materials

• Promoted by pore space of soils, sand, gravel (Clay or crystalline bedrock = More runoff)

2.Vegetation• Heavy vegetation = Rain doesn’t reach ground

before evaporating• Roots promote infiltration for water reaching

ground3.Topography

• Steeper = More runoff (can only infiltrate so fast)

4.Rate of precipitation• Drought = No/little recharge (may be seasonal)• Lots of rain = Saturates soil, promotes runoff

(can only move through ground so fast)

Infiltration vs. Infiltration vs. RunoffRunoff

Infiltration vs. Infiltration vs. RunoffRunoff

“Ratio of 4” means “Flooding is 4 times more

common after this amount of urbanization”

(about 50%)

Luna Leopold, 1968, USGS Circular 559

Effects of Land-Use ChangesEffects of Land-Use Changes

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