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Ironic people suggesting desalinisation, which although the plants are impressive (we have one not far from where I live). I find it just silly that we need to spend so much energy and money on a desal plant, mainly because people want green lawns out front that they don't use, or to flush drinking water down the toilet.
Our waste of water is amazing, and with some simple reuse systems (especially as part of the construction of new buildings) we could considerably reduce our water consumption. But instead governments decide to use desal.
Aquifers are mainly hit by consumption and contamination, however global warming will become an issue for some regions in the future (some region's aquifers will benefit from global warming too). Coastal areas may be hardest hit, as already there are suggestions that coastal aquifers have salt water egress because of rising sea levels. Also catchments where rainfall decreases or surface evaporation increases will struggle in the future (as demand increases).
So although desal provides a "lazy" solution, I think it is everyone's responsibility to be a lot more concerned about their water usage and investigate options to reuse water where possible (e.g. Canberra encouraged residents to have a shower with a bucket and afterwards water their garden with it, Sydney encouraged residents to pipe their used laundry water out to their garden, toilets now have hand basins above the tank so that used water is used to flush the toilet, in NSW new homes need to install a rainwater tank etc. etc.)
As a geologist that works on cleaning groundwater, I can assure you that we won't deplete our groundwater in 40 years or 400 years. We may need to be a little better at not wasting so much particularly in areas like Southern California. We live on a water planet. We simply have to be smart about using it and even though there are some bad decisions made, there are plenty of people planning out there. For example, we have lots of groundwater that isn't very good but can be desalinated much more cheaply than sea water.
We can use desalination techniques to provide water from the oceans, the only problem is that it is currently relatively costly. There are already locations where the cost of the desalination is competitive.
Personally, these end of the world, scare-mongering absurd predictions are getting rather old.
We constantly hear the rants about AGW, but we are not likely going to see any warming in the next 15-20 years. Further, while people like to pretend that capitalism is some sort of evil monster, the US as well as many first world countries have already had their CO2 emissions level off and are working to bring them down. AS with everything, we are fixing it. Just because it is not done as quickly as some would like. does not mean nothing is being done. The extremists among environmentalists would have us destroy our economy just to save a spotted horny toad. More intelligent methods are needed.
You must be from California. California is not the whole world. There have been severe droughts all over the world since almost the beginning of history.
California's problem is more political than environmental. They still have enough water for growing marijuana and the political creeps in Marin County will still water their lawns. As to the rest, Nancy Pelosi will just say, "Let them drink urine!"
Solar-Vacuum Desalination and Distillation... See Menu for "My Concepts" on my biography / epitaph at....
http://robertdeanburlison.wordpress.com . Also see https://twitter.com/noseall and vote in 2016 or before.
Is it the Edwards Aquifer that feeds San Marcos and San Antonio? They are close enough to the Gulf and there is plenty of wind power for pumping.
All water is ancient. It doesn't leave the planet just because it isn't under your feet anymore.
I completely disagree with your thoughts of depleting of freshwater and food because My Global Ocean Operation includes making freshwater in the millions of gallons where need be and The Triple Output grows 4 times more food per farm, per year without expanding the farms throughout our planet. Mike
I live next to one of the largest most diverse estuaries in the world. People in urban areas should start thinking ahead and learning about conservation, should have started decades ago.
Environmental destruction got people to pay attention and get the Clean Air and Water Acts passed. Rachel Carson wrote "Silent Spring" and people turned out against toxic pesticides. Organic growing is becoming ever more popular. People need time to wake up and pay attention and take action.
Scott b I agree and in 50 more years we will be able to create air and speed up the Volcano process of creating land as well)))))
...realize we've been living on borrowed time and "Global Warming" wasn't even a peripheral issue by comparison?
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No one can "create" water (unbelievable!), though it can be desalinated for a couple dollars a gallon (bye-bye crops & livestock).
There are spots remaining near lakes. but it will be almost impossible to supply even half the current population and their crop/livestock needs (forget golf courses and backyard pools).
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the US climate assessment was reviewed by a panel of the national academy of sciences
Na we'll build desalination plants all over the coasts and continent spanning pipe networks that can pump millions of gallons every day. The only people who have to worry are people in blue states who have governments that will block any such action out of principle.
All the Mexicans and illegals will be the ones to blame for using it up
No one is guaranteed tomorrow
Screw you, I live on the great lakes.
20% of the world's fresh water supply, baby. Get your Detroit property now, while the prices are cheap.
In 40 years, we'll be able to create water.
Earth is 3/5s water and the water cycle has not gone away
