Water availability

"The hydrologic capacity of a water source (surface water body, groundwater, municipal water) to sustain additional water demands after considering other current water uses and water conditions."

Sources

IPIECA. 2014. “Identifying and Assessing Water Resources: Guidance Document for the Onshore Oil and Gas Industry,” 60.

Related Content

Article

Explorando el emocionante potencial de las imágenes hiperespectrales para el control de la calidad del agua

Photo of The HICO and RAIDS Experiment Payload orbiting Earth (Image courtesy of NASA)

Translated by Isabel Zetina

Acuaporinas: la lucha contra la crisis mundial del agua utilizando el propio filtro de la naturaleza

A new water-treatment technology used by astronauts aboard the International Space Station has the potential to provide clean water to millions of people worldwide. By using proteins called aquaporins, this system mimics the natural filtering abilities of human kidneys and plant roots to purify and recycle wastewater. With an increasing global water demand especially in remote locations where clean drinking water is not easily accessible, this technology has the potential to provide a more resource-efficient method of water purification not only in space, but here on Earth as well.

Technologies Spin-off pour l’Eau

Avez-vous déjà pensé comment les technologies innovantes utilisées dans l’industrie spatiale peuvent nous profiter sur Terre ? Vous pourriez être surpris d’apprendre que les applications non-spatiales des programmes spatiaux sont extensibles.

Аквапорины: борьба с глобальным водным кризисом с помощью собственного фильтра природы

Новая технология очистки воды, используемая астронавтами на борту Международной космической станции, имеет потенциал обеспечить чистой водой миллионы людей во всем мире. Используя белки, называемые аквапоринами, эта система имитирует естественные фильтрующие способности почек человека и корней растений для очистки и переработки сточных вод. В связи с растущим глобальным спросом на воду, особенно в отдаленных местах, где чистая питьевая вода не всегда доступна, эта технология может обеспечить более ресурсосберегающий метод очистки воды не только в космосе, но и здесь, на Земле.

Aquaporins: Fighting the global water crisis using nature’s own filter

Explorando el emocionante potencial de las imágenes hiperespectrales para el control de la calidad del agua

Translated by Isabel Zetina

Aquaporine: Combattre la Crise Globale d'Eau en Utilisant le Filtre de la Nature

Une nouvelle technologie de traitement de l'eau utilisée par les astronautes à bord de la Station spatiale internationale pourrait fournir de l'eau propre à des millions de personnes dans le monde. En utilisant des protéines appelées aquaporines, ce système imite les capacités naturelles de filtration des reins humains et des racines des plantes pour purifier et recycler les eaux usées. Face à la demande mondiale croissante en eau, en particulier dans les régions reculées où l'eau potable n'est pas facilement accessible, cette technologie pourrait constituer une méthode de purification de l'eau plus économe en ressources, non seulement dans l'espace, mais aussi sur Terre.

Аквапорины: борьба с глобальным водным кризисом с помощью собственного фильтра природы

Acuaporinas: la lucha contra la crisis mundial del agua utilizando el propio filtro de la naturaleza

Spin-off technologies for water

Have you ever considered how technological innovations from the space industry can benefit us here on Earth? You might be surprised to hear that non-space applications from space programmes are extensive.

Aquaporine: Combattre la Crise Globale d'Eau en Utilisant le Filtre de la Nature

Aquaporins: Fighting the global water crisis using nature’s own filter

Exploring the exciting potential of hyperspectral imaging for water quality monitoring

Harmful Algal Blooms occur when toxin-producing algae experience excessive growth within bodies of water. These blooms have the potential to cause detrimental effects on both aquatic and human health and can sometimes even cause death, depending on the type of algae involved (NIEHS, 2021). Thanks to the use of space-based remote sensing technology to monitor water quality conditions in coastal areas and drinking water reservoirs, nations are becoming more aware of the quality of their water.

Аквапорины: борьба с глобальным водным кризисом с помощью собственного фильтра природы

Acuaporinas: la lucha contra la crisis mundial del agua utilizando el propio filtro de la naturaleza

Spin-off technologies for water

Aquaporine: Combattre la Crise Globale d'Eau en Utilisant le Filtre de la Nature

Aquaporins: Fighting the global water crisis using nature’s own filter

Exploring the exciting potential of hyperspectral imaging for water quality monitoring

Аквапорины: борьба с глобальным водным кризисом с помощью собственного фильтра природы

Acuaporinas: la lucha contra la crisis mundial del agua utilizando el propio filtro de la naturaleza

Technologies Spin-off pour l’Eau

Aquaporine: Combattre la Crise Globale d'Eau en Utilisant le Filtre de la Nature

Aquaporins: Fighting the global water crisis using nature’s own filter

Call for local perspectives: Groundwater challenges

Local perspectives and case studies

The aim of the local perspectives and case studies feature is to learn about gaps in water resource management from affected individuals, communities, civil society, professionals, researchers or organisations in the field to identify needs or potential solutions that space technologies could contribute to.

Call for local perspectives: Groundwater challenges

Local perspectives and case studies

Operational Systems of the SASWE

The Operational Systems of SASWE Research Group website is an online application and decision-support resource showcasing the operational tools and modelling systems developed by the SASWE Research Group at the University of Washington. It features a portfolio of satellite-based operational systems and decision support platforms designed for water resources assessment, reservoir and dam management, river basin forecasting, irrigation advisory, and hydrological monitoring.

Operational Systems of the SASWE

6th Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Congress

The 6th Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Congress

The Global Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) Congress is the flagship networking and knowledge-sharing event organized by UN-Habitat through the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA). Convening every two years, the Global WOPs Congress is the foremost meeting place dedicated to water and sanitation utilities within the UN system.

8th Biennial UF Water Institute Symposium

The UF Water Institute and Duke Energy invite you to participate in the 8th biennial UF Water Institute Symposium. The Symposium will bring together individuals from a broad range of disciplines and organizations to explore water issues from multiple perspectives. The 2022 Symposium will focus on innovative science, technology, education, policy, and management advances that address the following pressing water issues:

Water Action Agenda Symposium

IHE Delft is organizing a Water Action Agenda Symposium in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to drive progress in the implementation of the commitments that form the agenda.

The Water Action Agenda is a key result of the UN 2023 Water Conference, held in March 2023. It includes over 830 voluntary commitments made by the international water community to accelerate efforts toward Sustainable Development Goal 6, which calls for universal water and sanitation access.

Local Perspectives Case Studies

Groundwater: Sara Sadri

Farms are only rainfed but the amount of rain is not sufficient to meet farmers' need. Little data is available on groundwater availability and use.

Groundwater: David Ferris, Canada

Within the region of interest (Canadian Interior Plains region/Great Plains/Prairies), the groundwater system is highly heterogeneous and complex. Water availability, water use and access, water quality, ecosystem / surrounding environment, climate change, management, human activity are all the challenges that exist regionally in relation to groundwater. Groundwater is commonly available, but at irregular depths, quantities, and qualities. Some areas are at risk of excessive depletion, while some areas are at risk of changing quality due to natural saline water migrating to existing extraction areas, or due to contamination of shallow water resources. The extent of available resources and the limit of potential extraction is largely unknown, and well licensing is assessed on a case-by-case basis by considering only the short-term impact on adjacent users - no mechanisms exist for strategic groundwater planning. Coupled to these issues is the impact of climate variability - early models predict increased recharge in some areas, and decreased recharge in others. The ultimate impact is unknown. Hence, the need to develop a better understanding of the limits and "health" of the regional groundwater system that can be used to develop effective groundwater management policies. This understanding should be flexible enough to allow adaptation appropriate to local conditions.