Chapter 11-2Water Use and Management

Global Water Use

• More than one billion people lack access to a clean, reliable source of water

• What is currently happening to the World’s population?

• Irrigation is the major use of water worldwide

• Use varies by region

Residential Water Use

• US about 300 Liters or 80 gallons per day

• Contrast that with India only about 41 liters or about 10 gallons per day for each person

• In US about half for use inside the home.

Industrial Water Use

• 19 % of water use in the world• Most industrial water is used to cool power

plants

• It takes a lot of water to make things– 1000 L to make 1 Kg of aluminum– 500,000 L to make a car!

Agricultural Water Use

67% of world water use

Ex: 300 L of water to produce one ear of corn

Types of Irrigation

• Flood

• Furrow

• Overhead• Drip

Water Management Projects

• Water Diversion

• Example Owens River -

• Dams and Reservoirs• Used for water

storage, diversion , hydroelectric power, flood control

• Examples: Friant Dam

Water Conservation

• Most Ag water is lost to evaporation and runoff.

• Can be reduced by using drip irrigation and high technology monitoring.

• In industry – water can be recycled instead of just putting it into a river or the ocean

Conservation at Home

• Low Flow Toilets and shower heads

• Water meters

• Xeroscaping

Solutions for the Future

• Desalination – requires lots of energy

• Transporting water – requires lots of energy