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Overuse/Over-extraction
Excessive use of water, particularly from aquifers and rivers, for agriculture, industry, and consumption.
Climate Change
Changes in precipitation patterns, droughts, and altered hydrological cycles.
Pollution
Contaminated water sources that are no longer safe to use.
Population Growth
Increased demand for water as populations grow in urban and agricultural areas.
Ogallala Aquifer - Withdrawal Rate
The Ogallala Aquifer is being depleted at a rate faster than it can naturally recharge, threatening the water supply for agriculture in regions like the Great Plains.
Land Subsidence
Occurs when groundwater is withdrawn at unsustainable rates, causing the ground to sink or compact, leading to damage to infrastructure and increased flood risks.
Advantages of Dams/Reservoirs
Provide reliable water supply for irrigation and drinking, hydroelectric power generation, flood control, and recreation.
Disadvantages of Dams/Reservoirs
Displacement of local communities, disruption of natural ecosystems, sedimentation issues, and high construction costs.
Recharge Rate
Aquifers naturally recharge over time through precipitation and surface water infiltration, but the rate is slow.
Depletion Rates
Occurs in areas where groundwater is extracted faster than it can recharge, leading to long-term water shortages.
Saltwater Intrusion
Over-extraction of groundwater near coastal areas can cause saltwater to infiltrate freshwater aquifers, rendering the water unusable.
Point Source Pollution
Pollution that comes from a single identifiable source, such as a factory or wastewater treatment plant.
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Pollution from diffuse sources, such as agricultural runoff and urban stormwater, which is harder to trace and manage.
Three Gorges Dam
Located on the Yangtze River in China, it is the world's largest hydroelectric dam, providing flood control and electricity but causing displacement and ecological consequences.
Aral Sea
Once one of the largest lakes in the world, it has been shrinking since the 1960s due to river diversion for irrigation, leading to severe environmental and economic consequences.
Colorado River
A river supplying water to seven U.S. states and Mexico, experiencing water scarcity due to overuse, climate change, and a growing population.
Water scarcity
A condition where water availability is insufficient to meet the demands of a region.
Domestic water conservation methods
Fixing leaks, installing water-efficient appliances, collecting and reusing rainwater, and reducing water use in landscaping.
Agricultural water conservation methods
Drip irrigation, using drought-resistant crops, improving irrigation systems, and implementing soil moisture management techniques.
Causes of water waste
Inefficient irrigation systems, leaky infrastructure, overconsumption, and lack of awareness about water conservation.
Hydrological Poverty
Regions with insufficient water availability to meet basic needs due to low rainfall, pollution, or poor infrastructure.
Human impacts on flooding
Urbanization, deforestation, dam failures, and poor water management that increase flooding risks.
Ways to reduce flooding
Restoring wetlands and forests, building flood barriers, improving urban drainage systems, and implementing zoning laws.
Hydrologic Cycle
The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.
Groundwater
Water found beneath the Earth's surface, in aquifers.
Zone of Saturation
The area where all the pores in the soil or rock are filled with water.
Water Table
The top of the zone of saturation, fluctuating depending on rainfall and withdrawal rates.
Withdrawal Rates
The rate at which groundwater is extracted; if faster than recharge, it can lead to depletion.
Global Water Usage %
Agriculture: approximately 70%, Industry: around 20%, Domestic Use: about 10%.
Desalination
The process of removing salt from seawater to make it potable, important in arid regions but energy-intensive.
Grey Water
Wastewater from domestic activities that can be reused for irrigation and non-potable uses with proper treatment.
Watershed
A geographic area that drains into a particular body of water, crucial for maintaining water quality and ecosystem health.
