How our Water is Affected by Global Temperature Increases

The term “climate change” is used a lot lately; so much so that a lot of us have grown tired of the subject. It’s important to understand what this term really means. It means that there is evidence that has been collected by scientists all over the world which concludes that the global temperature has increased. Further, the rate of that increase implies that the global temperature will continue to increase at an alarming rate. While this increase is only a few degrees and seems harmless, those few degrees upset the balance of the Earth. The water cycle as we know it is already changing as a result. Yes, the Earth has seen higher temperatures and higher concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere in the past; but that was a different world, and we were not part of it. We are now, and we rely on its consistent and reliable behavior to survive. Changes to that behavior mean risks to our health and our livelihood.

If you live in an area that has not been impacted by extreme drought over the past few years, then you’re lucky. But you have heard about the drought and about the flooding in other areas due to excess rainfall. These conditions can be attributed to, and the impacts certainly exacerbated by, this global increase in temperature. Warmer temperatures increase the rate of evaporation of water on the ground, which increases the strain on the atmosphere’s capacity to hold that water. This can lead to excessive drying in some parts of the country and then excessive precipitation in others. Further, warmer temperatures cause snow packs to melt sooner in the year, which alters the timing of stream flows into rivers that get their water from mountainous areas.

Flooding is a devastating effect of too much rain and early snow melt. It not only ruins homes and other structures and threatens or takes lives, but it poses serious issues to water quality and infrastructure both in and downstream of the impacted area. Water treatment plants and sewer systems become overwhelmed by the massive volume of water. Runoff from sewers, streets, industrial facilities, etc. overflows into rivers and lakes, carrying sediment, nutrients, pollutants, trash, animal waste, and other possibly toxic materials into the water supply. With excess materials and contaminants in the sewers and pipes, it can cause additional wear to the already aging water infrastructure in the states. Flooding also contaminates and ruins crops that provide our food sources.

These events may seem isolated, but their occurrence is predicted to increase in frequency and severity in years to come. As our population grows, the strain on our fresh, available water is already strained; add to that, these natural disasters, and we are going to face serious difficulties getting fresh water for ourselves. Fresh water is essential for our health and our economy, as it is needed for our industries to produce goods.

There are many resources available that explain how each of us can help to lessen our contribution to this growing problem. Scientists believe we can turn this around with cooperation and education. I encourage you to do some research and find out the easy steps you can take to help alleviate climate change impacts for generations to come.