Is Water the New Oil?
Population growth, urbanization, global migration, intensive land use, and global warming are some of the major variants tat are creating competition over water. Thus the amound of Water, a finite resource, that is available for each person has become unequal and is constantly diminishing.
Water Conflict is not a recent phenomena of the modern age. In fact, water conflicts date back to biblical times. its important to note that no war in recorded history has ever been waged solely over war. Instead, water has been a source of tension and one of the reasons for waging a war. Some experts however do argue that due to dwindling natural resources and global warming, we might witness during our lifetime wars waged over water.
The United Nations celebrates World Water Day on March 22 to call attention the importance of maintaining sustainable sources of freshwater and to keep the world's water issues on the international agenda.
Africa and the Middle East:
Ironically, water is more precious in the Middel East than oil and has been a source of conflict between countries like Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon who share the waters of the Jordan River. The 1967 war with Israel was in part due to competition of the claims for the Jordan river's water.
In Palestine, people have four times less warer per capita than people in neighoring Israel, a consumption level below the World Health Organization's guidelines for minimum daily access to water.
Wealthier Arab countries like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emiraes meet some of their needs by desalinating seawater while others drill ever-deeper wells which in time may only make the problem worse.
A new concept that is receiving positive responses is that of "virtual water." Growing wheat, for example, takes a lot of water. By importing wheat and concentrating on crops which require less water, a country can acquire "virtual water" and use existing resources more efficiently.
Some argue that Africa is the most hard hit when it comes to water shortages. According to a 2007 United Nations Environmental Program report, rainfall in northern Darfur Suda, has decreased by a third over the last 80 years, increasing competition for water between tribes. The report stated that Darfur “can be considered a tragic example of the social breakdown that can result from ecological collapse.”
Sudan is only one of many tragic examples in Africa. Half a billion people in Africa lack access to adequate sanitation, and 5,000 children die daily from diarrhea, a disease that can be prevented with clean water.
According to a United Nations Development Programme report, potential 'water wars' are likely to arise where rivers and lakes are shared by more than one countr. The report predicts that by 2025, 12 more African countries will join the 13 that already suffer from water stress or water scarcity.
A new concept that is receiving positive responses is that of "virtual water." Growing wheat, for example, takes a lot of water. By importing wheat and concentrating on crops which require less water, a country can acquire "virtual water" and use existing resources more efficiently. Even though Importing grain is much easier than importing water, for poorer countries in Africa this may not even be an option. For this reason, the UN proposes monitoring worldwide reserves of drinking water and establishing agreements for the use of water.
North America:
North America is one of the largest providers of freshwater in the world. From the underground aquifers to the Great Lakes, the United States has a great deal of water. However, as scientists have predicted, we are using up our freshwater supply at an astounding rate due to the growing population. It is becoming a more controversial for more than one reason. The U.S has experienced more extreme weather in the last decade than ever before. Droughts have become more common throughout the nation and have taken a toll on state governments and citizens. Signed in 1952, the McCarren Amendment gives states the right to create their own laws on water use. Though it was not a problem at that time, it is now a controversial issue. Due to rivers running through multiple states where there are different rules, it is hard to make decisions on who “owns” the water supply. In present day, battles are being fought for lakes, rivers, and aquifers.
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The "bathtub ring" around Lake Mead shows how the water level has lowered in recent years. |
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In 2008, the southeastern part of the country experienced a nearly yearlong drought. States affected included North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. During this time, Atlanta experienced a 10-foot drop in a lake from where they receive most of their drinking water. Georgia, Florida, and Alabama dissolved a treaty where they had planned to share the “six rivers”: the Alabama, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Apalachicola, Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. All three states are still currently disputing about the rivers and the Army Corps of Engineers will make a decision by 2011 how to share the rivers equally. In addition, South Carolina will spend approximately 3 million dollars fighting North Carolina for the rights over the Catawba River. Finally, Georgia is trying to move its boarder 1.1 miles north hoping to gain rights to part of the Tennessee River. However, the east is known for being lush and green, current droughts are taking a toll.
The High Plains Aquifer, which spans 111 million acres below the land, is a major cause of concern. Located in eight states including Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, it is slowly drying up. This is a major concern for farmers and citizen across the nations because this is where a substantial amount of our food is grown. Though they have found better ways to irrigate the water, the controversy never seems to end. Due to the fact each states has its own laws, it makes it difficult for officials to negotiate whom the water belongs to. The portions of water are slowly being depleted because of less rainfall and increasing populations.
It is a characteristic of the west to have a hotter and drier climate than the east. However, saltwater is intruding into the costal groundwater. This not only hinders the drinking water but all freshwater needs. Water bills have jumped a substantial amount in the last decade show no signs of coming down. Each state has strict rules about water use.
Americans seem be very carefree about the current freshwater situation. North America does control a significant amount of the world’s freshwater but it is slowly being depleted. Even though the wars for water seem to be far away from the United States, it will be a big issue very soon. Now, states are financially fighting over water rights, what happens when legal action does not matter anymore?
Unusual laws and ideas to deal with water shortage:
Over the years researchers have realized that clean water has become an important issue that why they have come up with unusual ways to preserve it.
1. In October 2008, Tuscon became the first city in the United States to require commercial developments obtain half of their water for landscaping from their rooftops.
2. Since the drought in 2002, Colorado proposed an idea to remove all the trees in the forests to increase run-off. This theory was tested in Wyoming but appeared to cost way too much and was dismissed.
3. In 1980, someone proposed installing a pipeline that begun at the Colorado River all the way to the Utah borders a back, uphill, to the Front Range of Colorado. This idea died out eventually and remerged in 2002.
4. Oregon State Sen. Dave Nelson attempted to propose the idea of installing a pipeline from the Northwest Columbia River to the Southwest of about 1 million acre feet of water. Since the Colorado River only produces 1/10 of the Columbia River he felt that taking from the Columbia River would be a better idea.
5. Ric Davidge, an Alaskan businessman, proposed bagging 13 million gallons of water in poly-fiber material from the Northern California Gualala River and then towing them with barges and tugs as far as San Diego, California. The California Coastal Commission voted against that idea.
6. In 1950s, the North American Water Power Alliance wanted to move water from Canada to the Southwest and the Great Plains with the aid of a large pump in Montanan to clear out the Rockies and intricate pipes and cords. In the 1960s many favored the idea but by 1970 it was labeled as wacky. Many years after the idea was considered again.
7. Sandoval County, N. M. Officials discovered that acquifer, or a layer of underground water, nearby Rio Rancho contained enough water to substain a city of 300,000 people for a century. The only downfall of this that it would cost $47 million because the water would need to be desalinated.
8. Another idea was to remove Tamarisk also known as Salt Cedar tree. The idea behind this is that these trees take up so much water and ruins beaches as well as stealing water from other plants such as willows and cotton woods. The cheapest way to do this is by breeding beetles that are known for destroying these trees.
Laughs about water:
By: Diana, Alee and Kiara
