Water is the most important resource associated with ecological and human well-being, economic productivity, and security. Stresses are placed on the Earth’s water resources by climate change, population growth, conflicts, and other social changes. Achieving a sustainable use of water may be the most critical issue of natural resource management now facing many societies. This course addresses the science and technology underlying sustainable water use. We will discuss water use within energy generation, domestic supplies, and agriculture while highlighting water use and modification along entire production and supply chains. Water use within agriculture, for example, accounts for more than 70% of the world’s freshwater use. We will also examine multi-disciplinary case studies that highlight specific challenges, successes, and failures in water use and management around the world today.
