A continental-scale hydrology and water quality model for Europe: Calibration and uncertainty of a high-resolution large-scale SWAT model

[1] Mountains are important sources of freshwater for the adjacent lowlands. In view of increasingly scarce freshwater resources, this contribution should be clarified. While earlier studies focused on selected river systems in different climate zones, we attempt here a first spatially explicit, global typology of the so-called “water towers” at the 0.5° × 0.5° resolution in order to identify critical regions where disproportionality of mountain runoff as compared to lowlands is maximum. Then, an Earth systems perspective is considered with incorporation of lowland climates, distinguishing four different types of water towers. We show that more than 50% of mountain areas have an essential or supportive role for downstream regions. Finally, the potential significance of water resources in mountains is illustrated by including the actual population in the adjacent lowlands and its water needs: 7% of global mountain area provides essential water resources, while another 37% delivers important supportive supply, especially in arid and semiarid regions where vulnerability for seasonal and regional water shortage is high.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2006WR005653

Mountains of the world, water towers for humanity: Typology, mapping, and global significance

A critical analysis of the present situation on the global water resources assessment is made. Basic data and methodological approaches used by the author for the assessment and prediction of water resources, water use and water availability on the global scale are briefly described. On the basis of data generalization of the world hydrological network new data are given on the dynamics of renewable water resources of the continents, physiographic and economic regions, selected countries as well as on the river water inflow to the world ocean. The results of the assessments for the 20th century and for the future before 2010–2025 on the water supply for municipal, industrial and agricultural needs as well as an additional evaporation from reservoirs are presented. Loads on water resources and water availability depending on socio-economic and phisiographic factors are analyzed; regions of water scarcity and water resources deficit are discovered. Possible ways of water supply improvement and elim...

http://bateni.persiangig.com/document/Water%20Resources%20(1)%20MS/Water%20International%20Volume%2025%20issue%201%202000%20%5bdoi%2010.1080_02508060008686794%5d%20Shiklomanov,%20Igor%20A.%20--%20Appraisal%20and%20Assessment%20of%20World%20Water%20Resources.pdf

Appraisal and Assessment of World Water Resources

Lead Authors: Marco Bindi (Italy), Sally Brown (UK), Ines Camilloni (Argentina), Arona Diedhiou (Ivory Coast/Senegal), Riyanti Djalante (Japan/Indonesia), Kristie L. Ebi (USA), Francois Engelbrecht (South Africa), Joel Guiot (France), Yasuaki Hijioka (Japan), Shagun Mehrotra (USA/India), Antony Payne (UK), Sonia I. Seneviratne (Switzerland), Adelle Thomas (Bahamas), Rachel Warren (UK), Guangsheng Zhou (China)

Impacts of 1.5°C Global Warming on Natural and Human Systems

Nearly 3 billion additional urban dwellers are forecasted by 2050, an unprecedented wave of urban growth. While cities struggle to provide water to these new residents, they will also face equally unprecedented hydrologic changes due to global climate change. Here we use a detailed hydrologic model, demographic projections, and climate change scenarios to estimate per-capita water availability for major cities in the developing world, where urban growth is the fastest. We estimate the amount of water physically available near cities and do not account for problems with adequate water delivery or quality. Modeled results show that currently 150 million people live in cities with perennial water shortage, defined as having less than 100 L per person per day of sustainable surface and groundwater flow within their urban extent. By 2050, demographic growth will increase this figure to almost 1 billion people. Climate change will cause water shortage for an additional 100 million urbanites. Freshwater ecosystems in river basins with large populations of urbanites with insufficient water will likely experience flows insufficient to maintain ecological process. Freshwater fish populations will likely be impacted, an issue of special importance in regions such as India's Western Ghats, where there is both rapid urbanization and high levels of fish endemism. Cities in certain regions will struggle to find enough water for the needs of their residents and will need significant investment if they are to secure adequate water supplies and safeguard functioning freshwater ecosystems for future generations.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/15/6312.full.pdf

Urban growth, climate change, and freshwater availability

Most poor countries are located in regions which have the most droughts drastic seasonal changes in precipitation and evaporation. They tend to also face rapid population growth. These growing populations vie for finite water resources. In fact peoples in semiarid and arid regions of Africa already subsist on the hydrological edge because of Africas harsh hydroclimate and considerable population pressure. Environmental preconditions determining water availability result in inequitable distribution of fresh water. They include climate geography soil type latitude and native vegetation. These conditions restrict humans access to water. Further human activities alter global water systems. These activities are traditional burning deforestation overgrazing agricultural practices chemical disturbance air pollution overpumping of groundwater urbanization industrialization and dams and reservoirs. Irrigated agriculture and industry use about 70% and 23% respectively of the water used worldwide while households only use 8%. Israel an industrialized country in a semiarid zone practices efficient water management so it uses just 500 cu. m/person annually. 4 conditions require our attention especially in areas of rapid population growth: inadequate amount of available water deteriorating water quality failures in food security and land degradation. Slow progress in water resources management sanitation and hygiene and family planning exacerbates these conditions which already exist in many areas. Steps to avert a water crisis are adopting management techniques which increase accessible water and use water more efficiently (short-term) and limiting population growth (long-term). Cooperation and commitment of local national and international governments industries and other governments are needed for successful active water management. They also need to understand demographic forces to implement effective policies which result in reduced population growth.

Population and water resources: a delicate balance.

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Population and water resources: a delicate balance.