Chapter 5. Water Scarcity and Depletion: Are We Reaching the Limits of Our Supply?
Great Salt Lake is shrinking due to excessive water use. NASA images from 1985 and 2022.
This chapter focuses on understanding water scarcity: what is it, where is it a problem, and how does it affect rivers, lakes, and groundwater? We address questions such as these:
- Are we using too much water?
- Which parts of the world are reaching the limits of their water supply?
- How is human water use affecting the condition of rivers, lakes, and aquifers?
- What are river “flow regimes,” and how have people changed them?
- What are the impacts of using groundwater more rapidly than it is replenished?
For more on Chapter 5 (including all the tables and figures), see below or download the powerpoint.