No Water, No Life
Exploring Threats on our ocean life
In the intricate dance of life on Earth, water plays a central role. From bustling cities, to remote rural areas, water serves as a lifeline, sustaining ecosystems, communities, and economies. Water is the very thread that binds together every corner of the globe. From the deserts of the Sahran to the Lush rain forests of the Amazon, water is used in shaping lands, quenching thirst, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining life.
"When the well's dry, we know the worth of water"
Yet in this day of age, the wonders of water are confronted by its vulnerabilities with climate change, pollution, and hazardous waste on the rise. These aspects disrupt the delicate line that source life, casting urgency in sustainable water management and compelling us to rethink our actions with this finite resource.
Water Usage
Drinking and Hygiene
The most fundamental use of water is for human hydration to support our bodily functions. Water is critical for personal hygiene, being a part of daily actions of bathing, hand washing, and cooking.
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Agriculture
Water is essential for agriculture, supplying irrigating crops, sustaining livestock's, and overall enabling the cultivation of crops. Agriculture consumes the largest share of freshwater with irrigation systems supplying water to regions where rainfall is insufficient to sustain crops.
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Environment
Water plays a crucial role in supporting diverse ecosystems. It provides habitat for aquatic plants and animals, regulates the temperature, and provide a source to regulate their bodily processes. It also helps with the cycling of nutrients, through facilitating the movement of nitrogen and phosphorus.
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Human Impacts on Water
Water Pollution
Human activities in industry such as manufacturing, mining, and chemical production release numerous pollutants into bodies of water. These contaminants degrade the water quality and harms the aquatic ecosystems. As a result it posses a risk to human health and the health of aquatic ecosystems. Our usage of pesticides, fertilizers, and animal waster contribute to the sedimentation in rivers, lakes, and coastal regions where it can result in algae blooms, oxygen depletion and destruction of aquatic habitats.
Water Scarcity and Depletion
Human activity uses excessive withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation, industrial activities, and human consumption, leading to aquifer depletion and disruption of ecosystems. Large scale projects with dams and reservoirs alter the environment disrupting habitats and aquatic communities.
Ecosystem Degradation
With human activity of deforestation, wetland drainage, and land conversion, we have lost much wetland and aquatic ecosystems. Native biodiversity are threatened with lack of water, introduction of invasive species, and degrading water quality.
The Global Water Crisis
In 2023 the landscapes of Untied States, Iraq, India, and Egypt are the most prominent areas of water scarcity
In the United States, states are facing drought conditions that are exacerbated by climate change. Higher levels of water stresses are prominent with huge losses in agriculture and shortage of water in reservoirs. As a result, certain states has created regulations to limited average citizen usage.
In Egypt, the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is threatening their water supply as it can reduce water flowing downstream. Depending on the time it takes for the dam to be filled, Egypt will lose a significance portion of its water supply and agricultural area.
In Iraq, most of its water supply comes from the Tigris River and Euphrates River. With the construction of the Iran's Daryan Dam the water supply from the Diyala River was entirely cut off. As a result the Tigris River and Euphrates River that supplies 98% of Iraq water will be completely dry with Iraq.
In India, the development of the China's hydroelectric plant can remove nearly 30% of India's water from the Brahmaputra River while reducing the river's water supply by as much as 60%.
Drought Intensity from 2000 - Present
From the map, we can see that all regions of US is typically abnormally dry with some level of drought. In Western United States, contain states like California, Nevada, and Arizona it experiences more frequent and severe drought conditions. Here there is more water scarcity, reduced agricultural productivity, increased wildfires, and damaged ecosystems. Stress applied to water resources are typically due to dense populations and climate change. In the Great Plains region including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, they often face drought conditions, and droughts have a significant effect on their production of crops and livestock. In Southern United States including states like Florida and Georgia, they experience drought where production from dams lead to harm to rivers and wetlands. In the northeast region like states of New York, and Massachusetts, droughts are much less frequent.
Water Sustainability
Water conservation
The act of using water precisely and effectively so that there is no unnecessary water usage. This includes checking for leaks which is one of the main sources of water waste, taking shorter showers, flushing the toilet less, and install water saving appliances.
Water Storage
By recycling, reusing and capturing water, we can reduce our reliance on traditional water sources, lowering water bill and alleviating stress on local water supplies. This can be as simple as collecting rainwater from rooftop for future use.
Climate Change
Climate change is one the contributing factors for drought. To help combat, one can help reduce climate change through using renewable clean energy sources (wind, wave, solar), reducing carbon emissions, reduce energy use, and switching to energy efficient appliances.