Water — its location, condition, and use — is a critical environmental issue. Central to all ecosystems, water is essential to life as we know it. It shapes our planet on every level, from the chemical properties of the H
2O molecule to the central role of water in global climate. This course will focus on why water is such a critical resource, the impact of human consumption on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the social, economic, and environmental implications of water management.
Along with a solid grasp of these water-related issues, students should come away grounded in the science that underlies all environmental studies. They will be able to: 1) understand the interrelationships between living things and the ecosystems they inhabit; 2) analyze environmental problems caused by changing natural conditions and by human activity; and 3) evaluate ways to resolve and/or prevent these problems.
Authoring Scientists:
Key Science Concepts
- Water circulates through Earth systems via underground aquifers; estuaries and bays; rivers and streams; lakes, ponds and reservoirs; wetlands; ocean and coastal shorelines; and the atmosphere.
- A fragile and complex network of living things depends upon a very limited supply of freshwater. Growing human populations and demands on this resource are creating a host of social, economic, environmental and political challenges on scales that range from local to global.
- Historically, humans have coped with local scarcity by drawing upon water resources, including non-renewable groundwater, by building dams, digging wells, and otherwise diverting surface water. When natural flows are altered, humans and other species that depend on the natural system suffer.
- Rivers, lakes, and wetlands provide essential and typically irreplaceable ecosystem services. These include water purification, habitat support, hydropower, transportation and recreation.Ê A critical link between land and water, wetlands play a key role in filtering pollutants, protecting drinking water and supporting rich biodiversity.
- Water pollution from human settlement, industry and agriculture — including the nutrient pollution of eutrophication — threatens the health of humans, other living creatures, and the ecosystems themselves.
- Water allocation rather than absolute scarcity lies at the heart of many water problems. Responsible water stewardship, especially across international borders, poses an array of social, environmental, economic and political challenges. Technologies such as desalination, drip irrigation, and water reuse hold promise.
- Scientists are encouraging water management plans that replace a sector-by-sector approach with an integrated approach that emphasizes conservation and reuse, and which balances the need for development against the vital importance of clean water and healthy ecosystems.
