The Problem of Water Shortage - Coursework Example

20 March The Problem of Water Shortage Thirst or hunger – which is worse? There is no definite answer to this question, but it is clear that, for millions of people in all parts of the planet thirst is becoming part of their daily routines. Global populations are growing; and so are water shortages. Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented decrease in the availability of fresh water supplies. The rapid development of ecological and sustainable development programs do not help to reduce the scope of the problem. The complexity of factors behind fresh water shortage is the main reason why the problem continues to persist. Water shortage is the result of climate change. Inefficient use of water resources further aggravates the situation. Bureaucracy and the lack of comprehensive water management programs add complexity to the issue. The main research question is what factors are responsible for water shortage in Tucson/ Arizona: based on the thorough analysis of literature, water shortage is the result of multiple processes, influences and factors, such as climate change, resource inefficiency, and state bureaucracy, and the success of water supply programs in Tucson (Arizona) will depend upon the degree to which these programs address each of these factors. Water has been historically considered one of the richest sources of life on the planet; however, the amount of water suitable for use in food and drinking is extremely scarce. According to Kirby, About two-thirds of the planet’s surface is covered with water, and only 2.5% of these resources are not salty. Of these 2.5%, most is locked up in glaciers and icecaps (Kirby). What remains is hidden in remote places or arrives when the time for it is wrong, for example, as floods (Kirby). As a result, all humans can use is merely 0.88% of the planet’s water, and this can hardly suffice to satisfy the growing need for fresh water resources on the Earth (Kirby). These data suggest that the amount of water available to people is extremely low, and the growing water shortage will further aggravate the situation. The situation in Tucson (Arizona) is no better: Megdal, the Director of the Water Resources Research Center in Arizona, writes that, based on the recent estimates, the period between 2000 and 2009 witnessed the most serious Colorado River drought. Only complex strategies have the potential to resolve the controversy surrounding the water shortage problem. Climate change is claimed to be at the heart of the water shortage problem. Recent studies suggest that the amount of water on the planet rapidly declines. Bred Udall, the head of the CU-NOAA Western Water Assessment, reports that, in Tucson (Arizona), runoff declines are predicted to reduce between 6% and 45% by 2050. Most probably, the amount of water falling on the state of Arizona will decrease by about 20% by 2050 (Udall). The past decades have witnessed an unprecedented decline in runoff flows by 18% (Udall). In the Colorado River area alone, runoff declines are estimated to reach 16-17% in the coming decade (Udall). Megdall adds, that 2000-2009 was the driest 10-year period in the history of climate observations in Arizona. Both Megdal and Udall offer a deep insight into the problem of water shortage in Arizona. Whether or not climate is human-induced is beyond the scope of this analysis, and it is difficult to define whether or not humans have the capabilities and resources needed to stop the acceleration of climate shifts. Moreover, it is difficult to decide what should be addressed first – broader climate shifts or the water shortage. Finally, it is not clear whether water shortage is a product or merely a sign of the dramatic climate changes in Tucson. Meanwhile, in their interview, Bonnie Colby and Katie Pittenger claim that the main water supply variability risks in Tucson include reduced water deliveries to customers, reduced hydropower generation, and environmental complexities, and it is clear that the situation is aggravating. The Colorado River droughts in the past ten years have become the most serious in the historic record (Udall). The amount of water used from the Colorado River constantly increases (Udall). Most probably, humans will not be able to meet their water needs. The multidisciplinary nature of the climate change and water shortage problems calls for the development of complex, collaborative solutions. Coupled with this is the growing inefficiency of water use, which impedes the development of water supply systems and reduces the chances to expand the availability of fresh water on the planet. Despite the growing water shortage awareness, thousands of businesses and millions of people in all parts of the world continue using their water resources inefficiently. Can inefficient water use be responsible for the discussed climate change? How are the climate change, resource inefficiency and water shortage related? There is no answer to these questions. Yet, irrigation remains one of the biggest challenges faced by environmentalists and water shortage scientists (Kirby). Kirby discusses the water shortage problem in details, and suggests that “irrigation allows wastage on a prodigal scale, with the water tickling away, or simply evaporating, before it can do any good.” In other words, irrigation is often wasting of valuable water resources, which does no good to people and the land. Connected with this is the problem of government and state decisions, as the government keeps relying on either sophisticated or inefficient sources of fresh water: for example, instead of using rainfall water, governments choose groundwater and subterranean supplies (Kirby). In this sense, not the lack of fresh water but the lack of efficiency is the biggest problem. Looking at how fresh water is being used, it is clear that humans could have had enough water to satisfy their needs, had they been more reasonable in their resource decisions. Again, reasons why water resources are used inefficiently are numerous and diverse. The lack of environmental education, profit-driven motives, the lack of environmental consciousness, and simply poor understanding of the environmental and resource-making processes altogether make it extremely difficult to expand the pool of quality water resources on the planet. The problem is further complicated by the absence of comprehensive water protection initiatives and policymaking bureaucracies. Bureaucracy and misbalanced policymaking further complicate the water shortage situation. On the one hand, the biggest cities have no comprehensive plans to tackle with the problem of water shortage. Mary Rose discusses the biggest cities facing the problem of water shortage: take a look at Tucson, Arizona: the region uses around 350,000 acre-feet of water every year. The city’s groundwater supply has a very limited life-span (Rose). The Colorado River brings about 314,000 acre-feet of water annually, but the risks of future water shortages cannot be easily dismissed (Rose). The Central Arizona Project is in the midst of political uncertainty, and it is not clear how the water shortage problem in Tucson can be effectively resolved (Rose). On the other hand, political instability and complex bureaucratic mechanisms make it extremely problematic for the city to meet the water demands of the growing population. Actually, everything that is currently happening to water resources in the American West reflects the cyclical nature of the most common environmental problems and the mistakes leading to them. According to Reisner who devotes a whole book to the discussion of water shortage issues, the water shortage story contains everything an environmental activist can imagine, from political intrigues to inter-agency rivalry and ecological missteps. Very often, elected governments can do little to help the electorate to deal with the problem of depleting water resources; instead, bureaucracies predetermine and sustain the desired order of things in society (Reisner). Bureaucracy is behind most, if not all, water developments in the United States (Reisner). Bureaucracy is responsible for inefficient resource use which, in turns, leads to sustained water shortages in Arizona. Throughout its history, not resource considerations but profit-driven motives predetermined the direction of water history in the state (Reisner). Resource bureaucracies were a force unto themselves, turning Presidential decisions to expand water supply into nonsense (Reisner). When states are required to have water projects other states have, they do not pursue efficiency but impose a huge burden of financial and environmental costs onto themselves, with little to no benefit offered to citizens (Reisner). For example, Reisner mentions that little consideration was given to the extraction of water from the Ogalla aquifer – the case which once again reaffirms the dominance of self-interests over reason and wisdom in ecological decisions. Given the complexity of water shortage issues, the main question is what can be done to address the problem of quality water shortage in Arizona. Apparently, only complex policies and solutions have the potential to alleviate the water shortage problem. These policies should address the climate change controversies, teach societies and communities to use water more efficiently, monitor the effectiveness of various ecological initiatives and reduce bureaucracy affecting water shortage decisions. Needless to say, years and decades may pass before Arizona develops such strategies, but better awareness of the overall complexity of the water shortage problem is the main key to success. Proposing solutions is beyond the scope of this analysis, but that more than one factor is responsible for serious water shortages mandates the creation and implementation of sophisticated policy responses. Bonnie Colby and Katie Pittenger suggest that climate science could lay the foundation for the development of viable solutions to the water shortage problem. However, there is no compelling evidence to assert that water shortage is a product of climate change and not its symptom. As of today, it is still too early to say that the picture of water shortage in Tucson is clear and full. Conclusion The situation with water shortage in Tucson is aggravating. The past years have witnessed an unprecedented reduction in the amount and availability of fresh water supplies. Reasons behind the growing shortage of water are numerous and diverse. Climate change, inefficient use of water resources, bureaucracy and misbalanced politics of water use are believed to contribute to the situation. Unfortunately, the link between climate change and water shortage is not certain. More certain is the fact that bureaucracy affects most, if not all, water developments in Arizona. The complex connections between bureaucracy, water shortage, climate change, and resource inefficiency need to be clarified. Whether or not climate change could help to alleviate the problem of water shortage in Tucson is not clear, but it is obvious that the state government will need to clarify the main causes of water shortage in Tucson and address them consistently. As of today, it is still too early to say that the picture of water shortage in Tucson (Arizona) is clear and full. Works Cited Colby, Bonnie and Pittenger, Katie. Personal Interview. 07 March, 2012. Kirby, Alex. Dawn of a Thirsty Century. BBC News. Time: Friday, 2 June, 2009. Print. Megdal, Sharon B. The Central Arizona Project (CAP) and Planning for Times of Shortage. Web. 23 March 2012. Reisner, Marc. Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water. New York: Penguin Group, 1993. Print. Rose, Mary. Biggest American Cities Face Water Shortage. Ezine Mark. Web. 23 March 2012. . Udall, Brad. When Will the Reservoirs Run Dry? The Looming Water Crisis in the Southwest. Web. 23 March 2012. Read More