Water Resources – Geography

Water is one of the vital elements on earth. It is a renewable resource, but not enough for all our needs. There are concerns about global warming and how it could affect the availability of fresh water.

The growth in the population has created the danger of depleting this much-needed resource causing people to worry about how they could make use of its existing sources effectively.

Water scarcity is possibly to pose the greatest challenge on account of its increased demand coupled with shrinking supplies due to over utilisation and pollution.

Water is a cyclic resource with abundant supplies on the globe. Approximately, 71 per cent of the earth’s surface is covered with it but fresh water constitutes only about 3 per cent of the total water. In fact, a very small proportion of fresh water is effectively available for human use.

The availability of fresh water varies over space and time. The tensions and disputes on sharing and control of this scare resource are becoming contested issues among communities, regions, and states.

The assessment, efficient use and conservation of water, therefore, become necessary to ensure development.