Enrichment:

 How the different activities affect the quality and availability of water for human use.

Agriculture
Agriculture is a huge contributor to water pollution, from fertilizers used for row crops to the
manure created by large-scale animal agriculture. Fossil fuel production Fossil fuel production is
another human activity that places considerable strain on drinking water — and not just because
fracking and
coal mining use a great deal of water, but because their waste products can pollute groundwater, and
therefore drinking water, as well. Climate change The bad news is that climate change is expected to
exacerbate a lot of the problems that already threaten our waterways. It has already lengthened the
global fire season, which means more possibilities for a wildfire to burn down trees and brush that
help prevent sediment pollution. It is expected to increase the number of extreme precipitation
events, which could lead to more instances of combined sewer systems spewing sewage into water
bodies. And it’s expected to raise the temperature of the world’s waters, creating the perfect
environment for toxic algae to grow.
The good news is that switching to renewable energy could have a doubly-positive impact on
drinking water: not only would it keep coal ash and fracking wastewater out of groundwater, but it
would slow the impacts of climate change on other parts of the water system, as well.

Evaluation:
 Explain the distribution of water on earth and various water resources on earth.

Over 97 percent of the water resources on Earth is found in the ocean and other saline water
sources, thus, only about 2.5 percent of water on Earth is freshwater. In fact, most of our freshwater
is essentially inaccessible, trapped in glaciers or underground as groundwater. About 1.2 percent of
this freshwater is considered surface water, which is essential to support life’s needs. However,
almost 70 percent of this surface water is found as ground ice and permafrost. Lakes and rivers Lakes
are an easily accessible water resource. They are generally formed when runoff from rain and snow
accumulates or when groundwater rises to the surface. Lakes act as a valuable source of water for
human needs and are also used for recreation. Rivers make up an even smaller percentage of our
freshwater resources, however, they are one of the most important sources of water for humans as
well as an important ecosystem for wildlife. River systems serve as a network for transportation,
power generation, recreation, and water supply. Rivers form where water runs downhill. The Nile
River is one of the longest rivers on Earth, running over 6,670 kilometers through several countries in
Africa.