Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful to humans. It is important because it is needed for life to exist. Many uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water. Only 3% of water on the Earth is fresh water, and over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. Water demand already exceeds supply in many parts of the world, and 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

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Throughout history, water resources have occasionally been the source of conflict. Examples include:

• Well poisoning
• Privatization and Water Pricing in India ^*, Kerala farmers vs Coca-Cola
• Privatization and Water Pricing protests in Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2000

Nevertheless, some claim that the issue does not get the attention it deserves, in particular with regard to security.

Sources of fresh water

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Surface water

More on [ Water resources ]

U.S. EPA Water News

EPA Makes Final Decision on List of Impaired Waters for Missouri
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:05:00 -0400
Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Kansas City, Kan., Dec. 16, 2009) - EPA has released its final decision on Missouri’s 2008 list of impaired waters
President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Funding to be Used for Immediate Asian Carp Control Measures
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:07:36 -0400
WASHINGTON - Great Lakes Inter-agency Task Force Chair and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today announced $13 million in federal funding to prevent Asian carp from migrating further toward the Great Lakes
U.S. EPA and the Port of Stockton Agree on Improved Management of Storm Water Discharges to the San Joaquin River
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:23:37 -0400
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached an agreement with California’s Port of Stockton to correct deficiencies in the port’s storm water program in an effort to bring it into compliance with the Clean Water Act and improve water quality in the San Joaquin River
Seven Superfund Sites in EPA Region 7 to Receive Funds from Nation's Largest Environmental Bankruptcy Settlement
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:01 -0400

TMDL ‘Pollution Diet’ Meetings Set for Virginia
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:07:23 -0400
PHILADELPHIA (December 10, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold five public meetings in Virginia next week to discuss the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) – a strict “pollution diet” to restore local waters and the Chesapeake Bay
EPA Releases Final Specification for WaterSense New Homes: This will help homeowners increase water efficiency and save on their utility bills
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:03:50 -0400
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final WaterSense single-family new homes specification today, creating the first national, voluntary, water-efficiency specification for an entire new home

USGS Newsroom

New mosaic of Mercury shows previously unseen features
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:11:19 -0400
When the MESSENGER spacecraft completed its third and final fly-by of Mercury in September, cartographic experts from the U. S. Geological Survey used the imagery captured to complete a mosaic showing the 55 percent of the planet never seen by humankind. The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft was launched in 2004 and is the first mission in more than 30 years to visit the planet Mercury. The trip requires multiple “fly-bys” to alter trajectory, slow the spacecraft and eventually enter orbit, which will happen in March 2011. Until then, the new image mosaic will be used to plan image observations for when the spacecraft is orbiting Mercury. The sophisticated image mosaicking processes is critical to the scientific success of planetary missions. In the past, these efforts have created important planning tools for systematic mapping of planetary surfaces as well as the selection of landing sites. While the average person may be familiar with the process of creating mosaics by using their personal computer to merge several photos together, there are some significant differences in this case. “The process of making an image mosaic [of Mercury] may seem relatively straightforward,” said Kris Becker, a cartographer and programmer at the USGS Astrogeology Research Center in Flagstaff, Ariz. “However, consider the intricacies of doing this process with more than 800 images taken by a satellite flying by a planet at more than 2,000 miles per hour.” “Variable resolutions and lighting conditions of images acquired by MESSENGER over the course of a year and a half can quickly lead to many complications,” said Becker. Each image contains tiny errors caused by the different angles the photos are taken from, as well as other factors. These errors are multiplied when the images are merged together. Lots of images with small errors can lead to large inaccuracies in the placement of overlapping images. To fix the problem, the team uses landmarks to regain accuracy. “We select landforms [such as impact craters] that occur in adjacent, overlapping images in order to create a network of ‘control points,’” said Becker. “This mosaic contains 886 images with 5,301 control points. With more images, there are more control points, and the accuracy of the map increases.” The USGS developed its own software to create the mosaics and applies techniques and processes that have been refined through years of experience. The mosaic is not just a pretty picture. “This new mosaic is invaluable for displaying the precise locations of named features on Mercury,” noted Jen Blue, a USGS expert on assigning names to planetary surface features. “Over the past two years, the International Astronomical Union has approved 44 new names for features revealed by MESSENGER images.” Planetary names give context for scientific interpretation and facilitate consistent communication among planetary scientists. USGS Astrogeology Science Center Director Jeff Johnson is proud of his team’s contribution to planetary science. “The USGS Astrogeology program excelled at creating accurate maps of the lunar surface during the Apollo era,” said Johnson. “As modern imaging and computing technologies developed, so did our expertise in creating high-quality products using data from multiple spacecraft missions.” A poster on the new Mercury image mosaic will be presented by Kris Becker at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in San Francisco at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 15, 2009. At that time, the mosaic will be posted for public viewing and download at the USGS Map-A-Planet Web site. Approved names for Mercury will also be accessible. The mission of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center is to serve the nation, the international planetary science community, and the general public’s pursuit of new knowledge of our solar system. The team’s vision is to be a national resource for the integration of planetary geosciences, cartography and remote sensing. As explorers and surveyors, with a unique heritage of proven expertise and international leadership, USGS astrogeologists enable the ongoing successful investigation of the solar system for humankind. For more information, visit http://astrogeology.usgs.gov
Earthquake Early Warning System Possible
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:51:48 -0400
An earthquake early warning system for California is feasible in coming years, according to research being presented Dec. 14-15 at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.  The ongoing study demonstrates that an earthquake early warning system for California is possible and lays out how such a system could be built. Earthquake early warning systems, already successfully deployed in Mexico, Japan and Taiwan, can detect an earthquake in progress and provide notice of seconds to tens of seconds prior to actual ground shaking. Building on developments in other countries with significant earthquake risk, scientists are exploring early warning in the United States. After a three-year earthquake early warning study funded by the U.S. Geological Survey was completed in August 2009, a second USGS-funded project was launched to integrate the previously tested methods into a single prototype warning system. When completed, this pilot system, called the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) ShakeAlert System, will provide warning to a small group of test users, including emergency response groups, utilities, and transportation agencies. While in the testing phase, the system will not provide public alerts. The CISN ShakeAlert system will detect strong shaking at an earthquake's epicenter and transmit alerts ahead of the damaging earthquake waves. The speed of an electronic warning message is faster than the speed of earthquake waves traveling through the earth. Potential applications include stopping elevators at the nearest floor, slowing or halting trains, monitoring critical systems, and alerting people to move to safer locations. In warning systems deployed abroad, alerts are distributed via TV and radio networks, the Internet, cell phones and pagers. The earthquake early warning test uses real-time data from the California Integrated Seismic Network. The CISN is part of the USGS Advanced National Seismic System, through which the USGS aims to broadly improve earthquake monitoring and reporting in the United States. Funding for the CISN is provided by the USGS and the state of California. The EEW study is a collaboration among the USGS, the California Institute of Technology, the University of California-Berkeley, the Swiss Seismological Service and the Southern California Earthquake Center. In the next two years American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funding will be used to upgrade many of the older, slower seismic instruments throughout the CISN. These older instruments introduce time delays and would slow down early warning alerts. The relevant sessions at AGU are shown below. Poster presentations, Moscone South, Poster Hall Monday, Dec. 14, 1:40 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. S13A-1718. CISN ShakeAlert: Three Years of Comparative Real-Time Earthquake Early Warning Testing in California G. B. Cua; R. M. Allen; M. Boese; H. Brown; D. Given; M. Fischer; E. Hauksson; T. H. Heaton; M. Hellweg; T. H. Jordan; O. Khainovski; P. J. Maechling; D. S. Neuhauser; D. H. Oppenheimer; K. Solanki  S13A-1719. CISN ShakeAlert: Specification of the Prototype Earthquake Early Warning System H. Brown; R. M. Allen; M. Boese; G. B. Cua; D. D. Given; E. Hauksson; M. Fischer; T. H. Heaton; M. Hellweg; T. H. Jordan; O. Khainovski; P. J. Maechling; D. S. Neuhauser; D. H. Oppenheimer; K. Solanki  S13A-1720. CISN ShakeAlert: Using early warnings for earthquakes in California M. Vinci; M. Hellweg; L. M. Jones; O. Khainovski; K. Schwartz; D. Lehrer; R. M. Allen; D. S. Neuhauser  Oral presentations, Moscone West, Room 2005 Tuesday, Dec. 15 8:00 a.m.-8:15 a.m. S21C-01. The current status of earthquake early warning around the world (Invited) R. M. Allen  8:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m. S21C-03. CISN ShakeAlert - Towards a Prototype Earthquake Early Warning System for California M. Böse; R. M. Allen; H. Brown; G. B. Cua; D. Given; M. Fischer; E. Hauksson; T. H. Heaton; M. Hellweg; T. H. Jordan; O. Khainovski; P. J. Maechling; D. S. Neuhauser; D. H. Oppenheimer; K. Solanki 8:45 a.m.-9:00 a.m. 21C-04. Earthquake Early Warning: A Prospective User's Perspective (Invited) S. P. Nishenko; W. U. Savage; T. Johnson
New Discoveries Could Improve Climate Projections
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:12:11 -0400
New discoveries about the deep ocean’s temperature variability and circulation system could help improve projections of future climate conditions. The deep ocean is affected more by surface warming than previously thought, and this understanding allows for more accurate predictions of factors such as sea level rise and ice volume changes. High ocean surface temperatures have also been found to result in a more vigorous deep ocean circulation system. This increase results in a faster transport of large quantities of warm water, with possible impacts including reduction of sea ice extent and overall warming of the Arctic. “The deep ocean is relatively unexplored, and we need a true understanding of its many complex processes,” said U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt. “An understanding of climate change and its impacts based on sound, objective data is a keystone to the type of long-term strategies and solutions that are being discussed now at the United Nations conference in Copenhagen.” USGS scientists created the first ever 3-D reconstruction of an ocean during a past warm period, focusing on the mid-Pliocene warm period 3.3 to 3 million years ago. “Our findings are significant because they improve our previous understanding that the deep ocean stayed at relatively constant, cold temperatures and that the deep ocean circulation system would slow down as surface temperatures increased,” said USGS scientist Harry Dowsett. “By looking at conditions in the past, we acquire real data that allow us to see the global climate system as it actually functioned.” “The average temperature of the entire ocean during the mid-Pliocene was approximately one degree warmer than current conditions, showing that warming wasn’t just at the surface but occurred at all depths” said USGS scientist Marci Robinson. “Temperatures were determined by analyzing marine plankton fossils, which are organisms that inhabited the water’s surface, as well as fossils of bottom-dwelling organisms, known as ostracodes.” Global average surface temperatures during the mid-Pliocene were about 3°C (5.5°F) greater than today and within the range projected for the 21st century by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Therefore it may be one of the closest analogs in helping to understand Earth’s current and future conditions. USGS research on the mid-Pliocene is also the most comprehensive global reconstruction for any warm period. Read the full article, published in Climate of the Past. The USGS led this research through the Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping group. The primary collaborators in PRISM are Columbia University, Brown University, University of Leeds, University of Bristol, the British Geological Survey and the British Antarctic Survey. Learn more about PRISM research.

Water Resources Management

9. Sustainable Groundwater Use – Within Our Reach?
B-SPAN Washington D.C.—On February 17, 2009, the World Bank presented Water Week 2009, an annual event featuring three days of panel discussions and lectures from various sectors. The discussions covered a variety of issues, from the impact of the financial crisis on water development to the affects of the food price crisis in low income countries. The event was a collaborative effort between the Water Anchor and the Water Sector Board. This years Water Week events enabled participants to exchange experiences and knowledge in helping the World Bank achieve solutions to clients most affected by the water crisis.
12. Closing Plenary
B-SPAN Washington D.C.—On February 17, 2009, the World Bank presented Water Week 2009, an annual event featuring three days of panel discussions and lectures from various sectors. The discussions covered a variety of issues, from the impact of the financial crisis on water development to the affects of the food price crisis in low income countries. The event was a collaborative effort between the Water Anchor and the Water Sector Board. This years Water Week events enabled participants to exchange experiences and knowledge in helping the World Bank achieve solutions to clients most affected by the water crisis.
11. River Basin Management (Part 2)
B-SPAN Washington D.C.—On February 17, 2009, the World Bank presented Water Week 2009, an annual event featuring three days of panel discussions and lectures from various sectors. The discussions covered a variety of issues, from the impact of the financial crisis on water development to the affects of the food price crisis in low income countries. The event was a collaborative effort between the Water Anchor and the Water Sector Board. This years Water Week events enabled participants to exchange experiences and knowledge in helping the World Bank achieve solutions to clients most affected by the water crisis.
10. River Basin Management (Part 1)
B-SPAN Washington D.C.—On February 17, 2009, the World Bank presented Water Week 2009, an annual event featuring three days of panel discussions and lectures from various sectors. The discussions covered a variety of issues, from the impact of the financial crisis on water development to the affects of the food price crisis in low income countries. The event was a collaborative effort between the Water Anchor and the Water Sector Board. This years Water Week events enabled participants to exchange experiences and knowledge in helping the World Bank achieve solutions to clients most affected by the water crisis.
6. Improving Operational Efficiency (Part 2)
B-SPAN Washington D.C.—On February 17, 2009, the World Bank presented Water Week 2009, an annual event featuring three days of panel discussions and lectures from various sectors. The discussions covered a variety of issues, from the impact of the financial crisis on water development to the affects of the food price crisis in low income countries. The event was a collaborative effort between the Water Anchor and the Water Sector Board. This years Water Week events enabled participants to exchange experiences and knowledge in helping the World Bank achieve solutions to clients most affected by the water crisis.
5. Improving Operational Efficiency (Part 1)
B-SPAN Washington D.C.—On February 17, 2009, the World Bank presented Water Week 2009, an annual event featuring three days of panel discussions and lectures from various sectors. The discussions covered a variety of issues, from the impact of the financial crisis on water development to the affects of the food price crisis in low income countries. The event was a collaborative effort between the Water Anchor and the Water Sector Board. This years Water Week events enabled participants to exchange experiences and knowledge in helping the World Bank achieve solutions to clients most affected by the water crisis.

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