Human Appropriation of Renewable Fresh Water

Abstract

Humanity now uses 26 percent of total terrestrial evapotranspiration and 54 percent of runoff that is geographically and temporally accessible. Increased use of evapotranspiration will confer minimal benefits globally because most land suitable for rain-fed agriculture is already in production. New dam construction could increase accessible runoff by about 10 percent over the next 30 years, whereas population is projected to increase by more than 45 percent during that period.

Keywords

EvapotranspirationSurface runoffEnvironmental scienceAppropriationPopulationAgricultureRangelandGeographyWater resource managementHydrology (agriculture)AgroforestryEcologyBiologyEngineeringEnvironmental health

Affiliated Institutions

Stanford University US

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Publication Info

Year: 1996
Type: article
Volume: 271
Issue: 5250
Pages: 785-788
Citations: 1448
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                    Sandra Postel, 
                                
                                    Gretchen C. Daily, 
                                
                                    Paul R. Ehrlich
                                
                            (1996). 
                            Human Appropriation of Renewable Fresh Water. 
                            Science
                            , 271
                            (5250)
                            , 785-788.
                            https://doi.org/10.1126/science.271.5250.785

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1126/science.271.5250.785