General Discussion

Fresh Water Falling

(237 posts) Sat Jul 8, 2023, 03:04 PM Jul 2023

WE'RE LOSING THE WATER WE NEED TO SURVIVE [View all]

When I'm watching a news report about the calving of an ice sheet into the ocean, it enrages me no end when the reporters talk only about sea level rise! Yeah, sea level rise is a problem, a big one, in fact. But what almost nobody talks about is that, when freshwater ice goes into the ocean, it gradually melts, and its water becomes salty, therefore undrinkable.

Desalination technology doesn't come close to replacing the lost potable, and it requires massive amounts of energy to achieve even those meager results.

That's all I have to say for now, but I WILL be posting on this issue again.

55 replies

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WE'RE LOSING THE WATER WE NEED TO SURVIVE [View all] Fresh Water Falling Jul 2023 OP

Eventually the only major sources left will be the Great Lakes and Lake Baikal. roamer65 Jul 2023 #1

And the Guarani Aquifer - hence the Bushes' purchase of 100,000 acres in 2006 peppertree Jul 2023 #7

And T Boone Pickens markodochartaigh Jul 2023 #21

That's right - another vulture peppertree Jul 2023 #35

In 10th grade I was in the same class markodochartaigh Jul 2023 #41

Interesting anecdote. Thanks for sharing. peppertree Jul 2023 #45

Thanks, I was trying to remember which water source the Bushes bought access to. shrike3 Jul 2023 #31

You're welcome. peppertree Jul 2023 #36

And we can see what happened to another "great lake" - the Aral Sea erronis Jul 2023 #13

Yup. A great Soviet achievement. Igel Jul 2023 #25

And Lake Baikal is in Russia. Xolodno Jul 2023 #38

Envy you Egypt. Is a bucket list moonscape Jul 2023 #49

The poles use to help control the temperature of the oceans............. Lovie777 Jul 2023 #2

must find a fast and affordable way to desalinate housecat Jul 2023 #3

And we're still washing our garbage for recycle thinking FalloutShelter Jul 2023 #4

+ infinity pandr32 Jul 2023 #17

Recommended. H2O Man Jul 2023 #5

I have been saying this to whomever will listen for decades. Bumbles Jul 2023 #29

I worked with H2O Man Jul 2023 #34

Environmental catastrophe can destroy our democracy. hay rick Jul 2023 #39

I remembr years ago H2O Man Jul 2023 #46

Not only that Hieronymus Phact Jul 2023 #6

That's not a big deal. Its not like you could eat fish or anything. (NT) Otto_Harper Jul 2023 #14

Not to the degree that increased CO2 in the atmosphere is (nt) Hugh_Lebowski Jul 2023 #15

CO2 is acidifying the ocean, very rapidly in fact. markodochartaigh Jul 2023 #20

agree agree agree orleans Jul 2023 #8

It's no coincidence that we are the only beings on this planet Mr.Bill Jul 2023 #11

You personally can work to adapt to what's coming Kaleva Jul 2023 #18

I totally agree with your concerns, but we're not currently using the ice sheets as a major source erronis Jul 2023 #9

The Surprising Amount Of Water It Takes To Produce A Pound Of Beef Caribbeans Jul 2023 #10

This needs to be talked about. JudyM Jul 2023 #28

Stopped eating beef 4 decades ago, for many reasons. Duppers Jul 2023 #37

Unfortunately, virtually all desal plants globally run on fossil fuels NickB79 Jul 2023 #48

The ice turns into salty water swong19104 Jul 2023 #12

roughly 450,000 cubic kilometers of water evaporate from the ocean/yr Model35mech Jul 2023 #16

Right. Plus, water is not destroyed in these cycles, but Hortensis Jul 2023 #24

Truly wonderful things. Model35mech Jul 2023 #30

I don't think the ice sheets at the poles Zeitghost Jul 2023 #19

The drinkable reservoirs of water that are really being lost is ground water Model35mech Jul 2023 #23

Bingo. hay rick Jul 2023 #40

Ugh. Sugarcane flamingdem Jul 2023 #55

The problem with the melting Artic ice cap markodochartaigh Jul 2023 #43

Yes, there are many problems with the melting poles Zeitghost Jul 2023 #47

Welcome to our DU family. niyad Jul 2023 #22

Niyad Fresh Water Falling Jul 2023 #53

Original spelling-naiad, a Greek water spirit. niyad Jul 2023 #54

Glaciers disappearing on land are the problem Warpy Jul 2023 #26

Too many people on the planet. LiberalFighter Jul 2023 #27

8 billion is TOO MANY. roamer65 Jul 2023 #50

I've been posting about The #1 Issue the world is facing... Duppers Jul 2023 #32

I worry about my aquifer going down RainCaster Jul 2023 #33

Waste NowISeetheLight Jul 2023 #42

Glad you're posting about this stuff. calimary Jul 2023 #44

Fresh water intelpug Jul 2023 #51

There is a thing called the water cycle Progressive dog Jul 2023 #52