A man dives into Lake Michigan near Chicago. The ice cover on the Great Lakes was the lowest on record this winter, which could lead to poor water quality issues in the coming months. After a winter that smashed heat records, researchers around the world are taking a close look at how human disturbances and the rapidly changing climate are affecting the world's freshwater supply., an associate professor from Western University's department of geography and environment.
The water cycle is the process by which water evaporates off of land and ocean, is stored in the atmosphere and comes down to Earth as precipitation. It then filters through lakes, rivers, or groundwater systems, and then eventually is evaporated up into the atmosphere again. Snow acts as a reservoir, slowly releasing water through the spring and early summer. This melt provides water for more than one billion people worldwide. But a warmer climate is changing how that process works.
Less water downstream, combined with warmer temperatures, can lead to drought, wildfires and water quality issues with the water that remains. Groundwater is a crucial resource for our planet; 10 million Canadians rely on groundwater for drinking water. It also supplies nearly half of the water used for irrigation projects around the world.