ocean/seas

glaciers

ground water

surface water

soil moisture
Activities including farming, clearing forests, building roads, and mining may result in excessive
amounts of dirt and suspended particles entering rivers (sedimentation) if they are not properly
managed. This degrades the quality of the water and harms aquatic ecosystems.

Water resources and aquatic environments can be harmed by pollution. The organic matter and
disease-causing organisms found in waste water discharges, fertilizers and pesticides that leach
from agricultural fields, acid rain brought on by air pollution, and heavy metals produced by
mining and industrial activities are only a few examples of major pollutants.

Too much water extraction has had profound repercussions on both surface waterways and
groundwater. The causes, which include poor water management methods and deforestation,
are not being adequately addressed.

In places where there is already a water deficit, for instance, climate change appears to
exacerbate current strains. Glaciers on land and in mountains have been thinning out more
quickly lately. Storms and floods are two examples of extreme weather conditions that are
projected to worsen and occur more frequently as a result of global warming.