CHAPTER 7
Water: Hydrologic Cycle and Human Use
Chapter Outline:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Water—A Vital Resource
Hydrological Cycle: Natural Cycle, Human Impacts
A. Evaporation, Condensation, and Purification
B. Precipitation
C. Groundwater
D. Pools and Fluxes in the Cycle
Human Impacts on the Hydrologic Cycle
A. Changes to the Surface of Earth
B. Climate Change
C. Atmospheric Pollution
D. Withdrawing Water Supplies
Water: A Resource to Manage, a Threat to Control
A. Uses and Sources
B. Surface Waters
C. Groundwater
1. Falling Water Tables
2. Diminishing Surface Water
3. Land Subsidence
4. Saltwater Intrusion
Water Stewardship: Public Policy Challenges
A. Obtaining More Water
1. More Dams to Capture Runoff
2. Tapping More Groundwater
3. Desalting Seawater
B. Using Less Water
1. Agriculture
2. Municipal Systems
C. Public Policy Challenges
1. National Water Policy
2. International Action