8.9: Human impacts on inland waters
Chapter Hook
The aqueducts of Rome are a huge feat of ancient achievement and ingenuity. Not only did they provide water for drinking and bathing but contributed to agriculture, hygiene (through sewers and plumbing), culture, and industry. These stone waterways took about 500 years to complete (312 BC to 226 AD) and contributed significantly to the success of Rome. Water is essential for survival, so other ancient civilizations found ways to move water as well; however, none even came close to being as successful or magnificent.
Figure \(\PageIndex{a}\): Roman aqueduct. Image by Pixabay (Public Domain)
-
- 13.1: Fresh Water Supply and the Water Cycle
- Despite the abundance of water on Earth, only about 0.01% is available for human use. Most of Earth's water is in the oceans, and much of the freshwater is trapped in ice caps and glaciers. The water cycle describes the movement of water among bodies of water, the atmosphere, organisms, and the ground. This drives the availability of water resources, including precipitation, surface water, and groundwater.
-
- 13.2: Water Usage
- In the United States, 281 billion gallons of water are withdrawn each day, of which 82 billion gallons are groundwater. The state of California accounts for 9% of national groundwater withdrawals. A typical person in the U.S. directly uses 80-100 gallons of water each day.
-
- 13.3: Water Scarcity and Solutions
- Many people still lack access to sufficient and clean water, resulting in the water crisis. Water shortages (scarcity) may be physical or economic. Solutions to water scarcity involve dams and reservoirs, rainwater harvesting, aqueducts, desalination, water reuse, and water conservation.