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Water Resources And Their Role

Water Resources and Their Role

Water resources are sources f water that are useful or potentialally useful to humans: Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water: 97.5%of water on the Earth is salt water, leaving only 2.5% as fresh water of which over two thirds is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining unfrozen fresh water is mainly found as groundwater, with only a small fraction present above ground or in the air. Fresh water is a renewable resource, yet the world’s supply of clean, fresh water is steadily decreasing. Water demand already exceeds supply in many parts of the world, and as world population continues to rise at an unprecedented rate, many more areas are expected to experience this imbalance in the near future. The framework for allocating water resources to water users (where such a framework exists) is known as water rights.

Water and conflict

The only known example of an actual inter-state conflict over water, took place between 2500 and 2350 BC between the Sumerian states of Lagash and Umma. Yet, despite the lack of evidence of international wars being fought over water alone, water has been the source of various conflicts throughout history. When water scarcity causes political tensions to arise,. this is referred to as water, stress. Water stress has led most often to conflicts at local and regional levels.

Water stress can also exacerbate conflicts and political tensions which are not directly caused by .water. Gradual reductions over time in the quality and/or quantity of fresh water can add to the instability of a region by depleting the health of a population, obstructing economic development, and exacerbating larger conflicts.

Conflicts and tensions over water are most likely to arise within national borders, in the downstream areas of distressed river basins. Areas such as the-lower regions of...