Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Analyzing Water Resource Challenges in the US Eastern Zone

Abstract

One major narrative over the last several years, consistent with the US Northeast region in policy discourse rests on its perception as a hub with high concentration of city bright lights and skyscrapers but short on water usage. In the process, no one thinks about how the rising demands from urban residential areas to hydroelectricity and climate change stressors impact the hydrology. Yet, what is forgotten is that the economic engine driving the region comes from the interactions in a complex hydrological network anchored in water distribution dependency. At the same time, a closer look at various states indicates that the “big apple” area along with its neighbors most notably Maryland, New jersey, and Pennsylvania all share a heavy penchant in the use of water resources. With people obsessed with bright lights of the “big apple” and activities rooted in the growing use of water amidst disparate distribution. The use levels in the zone rely on surface and subterranean ground water types. Aside from the dependence on surface water, there exists sectoral imbalances in water distribution, the threats of pollution, and droughts precipitated by climate change parameters. Given hydroelectricity’s ranking as the largest water user in such a heavily urbanized setting, the consumption levels affirm the primacy of New York ahead of the others. While the rising incidence of water mining together with the risks and impacts remain highly evident, it does not occur in a vacuum due to socio-economic and ecological factors located within the regional hydrology. Still, water resources issues therein seemed overlooked in previous studies. This research will bridge that void using a mix-scale approach involving the fusion of GIS and descriptive statistics in the Northeast US. With emphasis on the issues, trends, environmental analysis, impacts, factors, and institutional efforts in place. The results point to rising use of water, impacts, changes in allocation, the dispersion of water use indicators across space and sectorial disparity amidst a host of elements. In all these, the paper proffered remedies ranging from public enlightenment, monitoring, the design of regional water management information systems, conservation plans and the enactment of effective policies.

DOI

10.5923/j.ms.20241101.01

Publication Date

1-5-2024

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