Supplying Our Water Needs

Water Issues

• Short Articles
  • Water Works Wonders (9/19/00)
    If you think you can get back without drinking it, think again...
  • Is Bottled Water Better? (9/19/00)
  • Texas Drought (8/28/00)
  • California Calls for Truce in Water Wars {6/9/2000)
  • General Articles
    • New York Times' Special Section, The Natural World - WATER: Pushing the Limits on an Ireplaceable Resource
      From above:
      • Water: Pushing the Limits of an Irreplaceable Resource
      • Battle Beside the Levee: Hold Back Big Muddy or Let It Roll
      • Between Two East Coast Cities, a Duel to the Last Drop
      • In Peru's Shantytowns, Cholera Comes by the Bucket
  • Fish Kill Advisory
    Fact sheets and current information on recent and "historic" fish kills, mostly midwestern.
  • Essay: America's Water Supply: Status and Prospects for the Future (1995)
    Over 1300 gallons of freshwater are withdrawn each day for each person living in America, counting direct and indirect uses such as irrigation and the production of electric power. Although the U.S. has seemingly abundant supplies, the infrastructure of storage and delivery is growing old, while new factors, including the value of water left in the stream, now weigh heavily in apportioning it.

Water Resources

• Water Resources from the Database for Use in Schools Project.
  Clear description of the ways in which we use and abuse the water around us. Includes sections on Water Usage, Sea Water, and Water Pollution.
• USGS Water Division.
  The U.S. Geological Survey has the principal responsibility within the Federal Government to provide the hydrologic information and understanding needed by others to achieve the best use and management of the Nation's water resources. In particular, check out Water Use in the United States and Drought Watch - Virginia
• Environment Canada
  A general information site about water. Also includes a nice section on the natural properties of water.
• Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security
  • The World's Water
    A site dedicated to providing up-to-date water information, data, and web connections to organizations, institutions, and individuals working on a wide range of global freshwater problems and solutions.
  • International Water Law Project
    The International Water Law Project website was created to provide pertinent information on international water law and policy and related topics. Specifically, it offers treaties, articles, news stories, case law, Internet links, and other relevant information. Many of the materials, such as treaties and articles, are offered in full text.
• UNESCO Water Portal
  The Water Links Section of the UNESCO Water Portal provides a single interactive access point to water related websites around the world.
• Water-Scarce Countries
• The Water Page (Water Policy International)
  The Water Page is an independent initiative dedicated to the promotion of sustainable water resources management and use. A particular emphasis is placed on the development, utilisation and protection of water in Africa and other developing regions.

Hydrologic Cycle: Natural Water Quality and Purification

• The Nature of Water (Environment Canada)
  Site gives an overview of the Earth's water systems. Take a look in particular at Properties of Water which describes the water cycle and the physical properties of water.
• EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
  Other than a rather literal name, this site provides lots of information on drinking and ground water supplies throughout the country. A good site for general information as well as some databases with information about local areas. See selected pages below (only a selection).
  • Drinking water and Health: What you need to know
    includes information on possible contaminants and acceptable levels
  • EPA Report: America's Drinking Water in 1997
    EPA Report: Providing Safe Drinking Water in America :1996 National Public Water System Annual Compliance Report and Update on Implementation of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments.
    While both reports find that US drinking water is generally safe, the EPA also reviews initiatives to improve water quality. The brief summaries of these reports can be viewed in HTML format, while the full-text articles are available in .pdf format.
• Overview of the Hydrologic Cycle
  From Britain, so some of the references are abit off to Americans.
• Aquatic Life and the Watershed Environment
  • Watershed Game
    A simulation of watershed management. The idea of the game is make choices to preserve water quality.
  • Information about the Cuyahoga River. This river is similar to the one running past Riverwood, USA.
    • Organisms
    • Watershed information
  • US EPA Watershed Information Network
    Defines a watershed and allows you to find information on your own watershed's health, data, maps, and general information.
  • WWW Virtual Library: Fish
    This site contains links to many topics about fish. It includes information about efforts to protect waterways and save fish.
  • Water World at the Microbe Zoo.
    A description of the microbes found in various water environments.
• US EPA's (Environmental Protection Agency) Envirofacts Warehouse information on drinking water suppliers and their violations and enforcement history.