Physical Water Scarcity
what is it?
Areas with physical water scarcity have been defined by The World’s Water: Volume 8, as areas in which water withdrawals exceed 75% of river flows. There are many different classifications for the causes of the water crisis seen in the world today. One significant source of the water crisis has been termed "Physical Water Scarcity". As The Water Project describes it, this is a situation in which physical access to water is limited. In a country with physical water scarcity, its resources are exceeded by its demands. These demands refer to the water required for both the physical needs of the people inhabiting the land as well as for vitality of the ecosystem.
what causes it?
Over resourcing lands through irrigation and other forms of hydraulic infrastructure can lead to physical water scarcity.
who is affected?
In a study titled “Water for food, Water for life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture Earth”, D. Moldten found that over 1.2 billion people on earth lived in these areas of physical water scarcity. This means that roughly 20% of the people in the world are living in water scarcity.
where is it?
Physical water scarcity is seen in regions of Saudi Arabia, Niger, Israel, Cyprus, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Bolivia, Australia, and even the United States. These areas of land are often arid and dry. This scarcity can also been observed in areas of developed countries. A classic example of this is the Colorado River basin in the United States.. It is a “seemingly abundant source of water that is being overused and over managed, leading to a very serious physical water scarcity downstream.”