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Hydrology . Introduction. Water – A few interesting Quotes. Water is the driver of Nature. - Leonardo da Vinci We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one. - Jacques Cousteau When the well's dry, we know the worth of water. - Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Water .
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Hydrology Introduction
Water – A few interesting Quotes • Water is the driver of Nature. - Leonardo da Vinci • We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one. - Jacques Cousteau • When the well's dry, we know the worth of water. - Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Water • Water is in the Western World an unappreciated, but essential resource without which we have no hope of doing anything at all • A quick look at history shows that civilizations flourish when water is abundant • In the developing world (and increasingly the developed) it is the number one source of conflict
How much do we need? • For personal drinking – roughly 2-3 liters of water a day • In developing countries, 20 to 30 litres of water per person per day are considered adequate for basic human needs
How much do we use? http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=F25C70EC-1
Biggest Users: Electrical Power – 49% Irrigation 31%
And….. • Good News : We are getting more efficient Our 1995 per capita use is 10% better than our 1980 use and it is continuously getting better • Bad News : Population growth makes per capita efficiency even more important
Groundwater • More than 98% of readily available fresh water is ground water! • However, it is important not to forget that water follows a cycle
Hydrologic Cycle http://www.nbclearn.com/water
Water Budgets • Probably the most important equation in water management, the Hydrologic Equation (or simply Mass Conservation) Inflow = Outflow + Changes in Storage
No easy task • Precipitation • Surface Water Flows • Groundwater Flows • Artificial Import and Export of Water • Storage: streams, lakes, ponds, soil moisture, ice +snow, temporary depression storage, plants, groundwater
Where would you work as a hydro(geo)logist • Government (local authorities, USGS, EPA, research labs) • Consulting • Energy • Mining • NGOs
Question to All of You • What role do Engineers play in Water? • Is water an engineering problem? • Can we solve the problems? • What barriers do you foresee? • How can we help the politicians, stakeholders and sociologists? • Is this a developed world, developing world or whole world problem? • What role do you personally see yourself playing?
Some Interesting Websites • http://www.cusa.uci.edu/http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/run-out-of-water.htmhttp://www.globalpolicy.org/the-dark-side-of-natural-resources-st/water-in-conflict/52367-water-crisis-hitting-food-energy--and-everything-else.html?itemid=id#40395http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/OFORIAA/http://www.arlingtoninstitute.org/wbp/global-water-crisis/441http://www.worldwater.org/conflict/http://www.worldwater.org/conflict/list/