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Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human communities within the watershed boundary. [1]
Global map of countries by total renewable internal freshwater resources (billion cubic meters) in 2020, according to World Bank [1]. This is the list of countries by total renewable water resources for the year 2020, based on the latest data available in January 2024, by World Bank and Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT data). [2]
Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. These resources can be either freshwater from natural sources, or water produced artificially from other sources, such as from reclaimed water or desalinated water (). 97% of the water on Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh ...
Ecological goods and services (EG&S) are the economical benefits (goods and services) arising from the ecological functions of ecosystems. Such benefits accrue to all living organisms, including animals and plants, rather than to humans alone. However, there is a growing recognition of the importance to society that ecological goods and ...
Healthy bogs sequester carbon, hold back water thereby reducing flood risk, and supply cleaned water better than degraded habitats do. Regulating services are the "benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes". [18] These include: Purification of water and air; Carbon sequestration (this contributes to climate change mitigation)
Watersheds or drainage basins are an area of land that drain into a common water body such as stream, lake, estuary, aquifer or ocean. [13] The Watershed Approach is an important framework to address today's water challenges. More than $450 billion in food and fiber, manufactured goods, and tourism depends on clean water and healthy watersheds.
More than three billion people, around half the world's population, obtain their basic water needs from inland freshwater wetlands. [2] They provide essential habitats for fish and various wildlife species, playing a vital role in purifying polluted waters and mitigating the damaging effects of floods and storms. Furthermore, they offer a ...
Water security is also about social justice and fair distribution of environmental benefits and harms. [36] Development that is sustainable can help reduce poverty and increase living standards. This is most likely to benefit those affected by the impacts of insecure water resources in the region, especially women and children.