DOES CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT WATER RESOURCES? Water. Water is the basis of life on earth. It hydrates our agricultural resources, powers our hydroelectric plants, and is essential for human hydration, sanitation, and overall survival. So it is fortunate that on earth 70.8% of the surface is covered with water, yet 97% of that water is high salinity seawater. The rest is freshwater, but in that sliver of freshwater, only 25% is fluid water, while 75% is locked up in the polar ice caps of the Arctic and Antarctica. Even if we can't reach them, we are contributing to the greenhouse effect (which actually melts the ice caps and raises sea levels). But the fresh water we have access to is usually locked away in phreatic reservoirs (or aquifers) or in a large, fast-flowing lake/river. But as we go about our daily activities, we contribute to climate change, and over the last century, humans have caused the earth's temperature to rise by 1°C by releasing tons and tons of CO2 into our atmosphere. As we deplete our water resources and contribute to climate change, we may begin to see water become a rare commodity or an enemy to be hated as not only can it cause drought and, consequently, famine, but it can also have a positive effect . effect. It can create larger rivers and lakes due to increased snow runoff, but this in itself has a negative side effect. Increased river flows and runoff can create violent floods that can tear cities apart and leave thousands of people stranded on rooftops waiting for a helicopter or boat to pick them up. Here are some perspectives on how climate change may not only create droughts and dust storms, but also floods and erosion, and the sobering thought that all of this is... middle of paper... our immediate area will be unaffected negatively by the lack of clean and usable water. I think we can safely say that it is not foreseeable that we will find ourselves in a position like Africa, California or even Central Otago. Conclusion During this research I discovered that climate change is actually having some positive effects on water resources, at least in some locations. For example, increased snow runoff will increase, lengthening the Taieri and providing water to the entire valley, and wastewater systems could potentially provide clean water to all of Dunedin for years to come. No one knows for sure what effects climate change will have on our immediate environment. One thing is certain, however, and that is that we all need to conserve the precious resources we have available and ensure they remain clean for future generations..