Water resources area unit natural resources of water that area unit probably helpful for humans, for instance as a supply of beverage provide or irrigation water. ninety seven of the water on the planet is salt water and solely 3 % is recent water; slightly over 2 thirds of this is often frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining liquified fresh is found primarily as groundwater, with solely alittle fraction gift higher than ground or within the air. Natural sources of HO embody surface water, underneath stream flow, groundwater and frozen water. Artificial sources of H2O will embody treated effluent (wastewater reuse) and desalinated H2O. Human uses of water resources embody agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities.
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Global values of water resources and human water use (excluding Antarctica). Water resources 1961-90, water use around 2000. Computed by the global freshwater model WaterGAP. Source : Wikipedia |
Water resources square measure below threat from water scarceness, pollution, water conflict and temperature change. water may be a natural resources, nevertheless the world's provide of groundwater is steady decreasing, with depletion occurring most conspicuously in Asia, South America and North America, though it's still unclear what proportion natural renewal balances this usage, and whether or not ecosystems square measure vulnerable. The framework for allocating water resources to water users (where such a framework exists) is thought as water rights.
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Relative groundwater travel times in the subsurface, Source : Wikipedia |