Abstract
Freshwater is a finite resource. Only about 2.5% of the total volume of the global water reserve is freshwater, and the remainder (97.5%) is the oceanic brackish water (IUCNN, 2003). The usable freshwater is less than 1% of the total freshwater. Agriculture accounts for about 85% of the global demand for the freshwater resources (Foley et al., 2005). The major sources of freshwater include lakes, streams, rain, snow, and the soil water reserve. Freshwater demands have increased during the 20th century especially for agriculture (e.g., irrigation), human consumption, and industrial uses, thereby affecting competition for the scarce water resources. Because of the excessive use, some rivers, especially in semiarid regions, have lower flow rates than before and are prone to being ephemeral. Excessive consumption and misuse of water have also reduced the groundwater level. Conservation and proper use of freshwater resources are essential to attain sustainable use.
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Blanco-Canqui, H., Lal, R. (2010). Nutrient Erosion and Hypoxia of Aquatic Ecosystems. In: Principles of Soil Conservation and Management. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8709-7_14
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