Water management is vital to every town, city, and state, as it determines the optimum use of water resources, including how those managing it distribute these resources.
However, because of issues the world is facing due to changes to the climate, such as more frequent and severe extreme weather events as well as an increase in water scarcity, governments will need to adapt their water management.
The University of California, Davis, reported on a new economic analysis titled "Inaction's Economic Cost for California's Water Supply Challenges." The analysis shows that California is facing potentially high economic costs if the state does nothing about its water supply challenges.
How does water management work?
Water management encompasses a wide variety of moving parts, but it's essentially how people manage and control water resources to maximize their efficiency while minimizing damage to property and life.
Water management can involve dams and levees, which reduce the risks to communities in the event of flooding. It can also include deciding how water resources are allocated, making the most use of limited resources for agriculture, and managing groundwater withdrawal rates and drainage systems.
Why you should care about water management
Without effective water management, water supplies could become scarce, leading to a range of issues, including food shortages, economic losses, and job losses. In California's case, the state's water supply is on track to shrink significantly over the next 25 years — by anywhere from 12% to 25%, or by up to 5 million to 9 million acre-feet per year.
According to the analysis, if California does not improve its water management or infrastructure, the result could be direct economic losses of between $1.8 billion and $11 billion annually as well as total economic losses ranging from $3.4 billion to $14.5 billion yearly. The analysis also concluded the state could see a total loss of 67,000 jobs.
One of the authors of the report, UC Davis professor Jay Lund, said: "We've done the math — and the costs of inaction are high economically and environmentally. California urgently needs a long-term, statewide strategy to prepare for growing water challenges ahead."
Although these numbers specifically apply to California, a lack of improvement in water management anywhere, if it fails to meet needs related to sea-level rise, drought-like conditions, and changing ecosystems, could result in similar economic and job losses.
This economic analysis demonstrates that, although addressing the consequences of our changing climate may be costly, it would be far more expensive not to address it at all.
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Definitely 💯 How can water management be improved?
While improvements to water management may vary from state to state, there are ways to reduce the costs associated with these improvements.
With technological advancements integrated into existing water management systems, it would ensure water quality and availability while also conserving water. Community involvement and policy are also key, whether that's creating educational programs for the community or utilizing modern hydrology tools.
However, whichever methods that states use would require government leadership to step up to organize and implement changes for the future.
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