How Much of The World's Reliable Water Supply Are We Withdrawing?
1. How much of the world's reliable water supply are humans directly or indirectly withdrawing currently?
2. Explain why global withdrawal rates of surface runoff might increase to greater than 70% by 2025.
3. Contrast the amounts of water used globally for agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes. (Also see fig. 15-4)
4. List the advantages and disadvantages of large dams and reservoirs. (Also see fig. 15-9)
5. List the problems associated with the dams and reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin. (Also see fig.15. 10)
6. Why did the chemistry of the Aral Sea change?
7. Explain why many bird, mammal, and fish species disappeared.
8. Explain why the climate of the region changed.
9. List the advantages and disadvantages for withdrawing groundwater. (Also see figs. 15-15, 15-16, and 15-17)
10. List several ways to prevent or slow groundwater depletion. (Also see fig. 15-18)
11. Describe the desalination processes of distillation and reverse osmosis.
12. Describe the two primary problems with desalination processes.
13. Discuss the likelihood that desalination processes will solve the world's freshwater shortage problems.
14. How much of the water people used throughout the world is lost through evaporation, leaks, and other losses?
15. What is the main cause of water waste?
16. Which percentage of the world's irrigation water is wasted?
17. Describe the various techniques to reduce irrigation water waste. (Also see figs. 15-20 and 15-21)