Water resource

In principle, the water existing on earth can be divided into ground water and surface water. 

Fresenius et al. (eds.), Water Analysis Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1988 

The hydrologic cycle, in which ground water may be wholly or partially involved at various times, is governed by the evaporation of water and its condensation and return to the earth as precipitation (rain, fog, dew, snow and ice). By the accumulation of water from precipitation to surface water, with partial infiltration and as a result of direct percolation through the earth s layers, new ground water is formed. 

As regards their physico-chemical properties and the substances dissolved in them, ground water and surface water can yield measurements which fluctuate between considerable extremes and make necessary a differentiation between the use of the different water resources. 

In passing through the soil, the water absorbs soluble substances from the different geological levels. This results in a differing dissolution of 

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Fig. 3. (a) General locations of hydrothemial power plants in the continental United States (6). Power is produced directiy from hydrothermal steam indicated by the steam plume at The Geysers in northern California. At all other locations, hot water resources are utilized for power production. In 1993, a hydrothermal power plant also came on line on the island of Hawaii, (b) Location of The Geysers steam-dominated hydrothermal field (D) in Lake and Sonoma counties, within the boundaries of the Cleadake—Geysers thermal anomaly (B). 

Electric Power Generation. Hydrothermal steam and hot water resources having temperatures ia excess of about 150°C are generaHy suitable for the production of electricity (see Eig. 3a). Because electricity is easy to market and transport, it is the only product of hydrothermal energy which permits the resource to be utilized at some distance from its actual location. 

Most of the developed hot-water fields are located by significant surface indications, particularly in the form of hot springs. Once a resource has been identified, a variety of techniques can be used to map the system and determine whether it is of a size sufficient to justify commercial development. Hidden hot-water resources are much more difficult to locate, but geologic indicators such as volcanic activity and evidence of hydrothermal alteration can be used. 

Other Constituents of Stream Water. The records reported ia Refs. 21 and 22 were obtaiaed for the primary purpose of evaluating the suitabihty of surface water resources of the United States for utilization by iadustry and for irrigation of agricultural lands ia the western part of the country. These stream waters also provide pubHc water suppHes for many municipahties. Evaluations of water quaUty for the latter purpose emphasize constituents that were not given detailed consideration ia Refs. 21 and 22 summaries, although there are references ia Ref. 21 to work done ia various state health laboratories and municipal treatment plants. 

U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Data for New York, vol. 1 Eastern New York Excluding Eong Island—WaterYear 1988, E.S. Geological Survey Water Data Report NY 551, Springfield, Va., National Technical Information Service 1989. 

P. H. Gleick, ed.. Water in Crisis, A. Guide to the World s Fresh Water Resources, Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K., 1993. 

R. K. Tinsley and J. B. Fran2ini, Water Resources Engineering, McGraw-HiU Book Company, New York, 1979. 

H. W. Gehm andj. I. Bte ocian, Handbook of Water Resources and Pollution Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1976. 

California Department of Water Resources, California Water Plan Update Bulletin 160-93, Oct. 1994 W. S. Swain, USGS, personal communication, U.S. Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA, 1996. 

An essentially constant supply of water is available for utilisation by aU. living creatures however, it is necessary to manage the water resources of a region ia such a way that the available water meets aU. legitimate needs. 

D. M. McKnight, S. W. Chrishohn, F. M. M. Morel, INCRA Project No. 252, Copper Sulfate Treatment of Takes and Reservoirs Chemical and Biological Considerations, Ralph M. Parsons Lab, Division of Water Resources Hydrodynamics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., 1981. 

Biological Criteria While the overall mandate of the Clean Water Act may now be more clearly stated and understood, the tools needed are stiU under development, and their bill application is being worked out. The direction is towards a more comprehensive approach to water quality protection, which might be more appropriately termed water resource protection to encompass the living resources and their habitat along with the water itself. 

A. W. Fast, in Destratification of Lakes and Reservoirs to Improve Water Quality, ed. F. L. Burns and I.J. Fowling, Australian Water Resources Council, Canberra, 1981, p. 515. 

Report No. 92.074, NSW Department of Water Resources, Technical Services Division,... 

NRA (national RIVERS AUTHORITY) The National Rivers Authority were the body responsible for the management of water resources and the control of water pollution in England and Wales. They are now part of the Environment Agency. 

The disposal of aqueous-based wastes, i.e. liquid effluents, is regulated in part by the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Water Resources Act 1991. 

NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITY WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991 - CONSENT TO DISCHARGE... 

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