http://www.climateoutcome.kiwi.nz/blog.html

Depletion of Aquifers.

18/6/2015

If we have to deplete aquifers way beyond their recovery rate to grow food, are we beyond the carrying capacity of the Earth? With seven billion people on the planet we have reorganise the way we feed our people.

3 Comments

Bob Bristow

19/6/2015 08:59:31 am

That's an interesting question you pose just after NASA has just announced that one third of Earths large groundwater basins are in distress.

My only observation is, after living in the Middle East, empty quarter desert area for fifteen years (often we has rainless years), that coastal countries must look to sea water desalination. I note Australia has 4 large plants in operation, another 2 in progress, and 2 more planned.

The U.A.E and Saudi Arabia are currently developing some of the worlds largest solar powered desalination plants, other countries are looking at solar desalination too (Chile, U.S and others). Land locked countries will be at a great disadvantage, and the price of water will soar as it becomes more valuable.

We just take it for granted now, using it (and polluting it) wastefully in industrial practices like fracking.

In a couple of centuries time our values will be so much different than they are today.

Study: A third of big groundwater basins in distress
http://climate.nasa.gov/news/2297/

Bob Bristow

24/6/2015 05:04:18 am

On this topic of interest is a link about a solar desalination plant that is going ahead in California (which is currently under drought conditions):

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2015/06/solar-thermal-desalination-now-underway-in-water-hungry-cali-fornia.html

It's go to help alleviate the increasing water shortages.

Here are some concerns over the over stressed Arabian aquifer

"Mish-mash the droughts with outrageous political instability washing the region inside-out, and you’ve got a recipe for apocalypse."

http://www.greenprophet.com/2015/06/over-stressed-arabian-aquifer-beyond-repair/

Seems a long way from New Zealand, but these global problems will affect us all in the long run.

Bob Bingham

26/6/2015 10:08:18 am

Hi Bob.Thanks for those leads, it was the NASA one that prompted my post. In many ways California is similar to Perth in Australia. Perth is putting in a system that uses wave power http://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/print/volume-28/issue-6/regional-spotlight-asia-pacific/wave-powered-desalination-riding-high-in-australia.html
These systems are small at the moment but might be the only way these communities can survive.
There are also some new development in food production which I like.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/24/growing-food-in-the-desert-crisis

Bob Bingham Blog page.

Depletion of Aquifers.

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