Figure W54 shows diagrammatically the hydrological (water) cycle with major reservoirs. The values shown are approximate and may different depending on how they are calculated. Table W56 gives the breakdown by continent (per annum) and Figure W55 shows diagrammatically a summary of the world water availability. It can be seen that, of the total volume of water, only 0.6% is available for use. and of this only 1% is available from rivers and lakes (i.e. about 0.006%).
The hydrological cycle with major reservoirs. The fluxes of evaporation, precipitation and runoff are in km3 year−1. (Source: UNEP, 1991
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Bibliography
Doxiadis, C.A., 1967. Water and Environment, International Conference on Water for Peace, Washington, DC.
Lvovitch, M.I., 1958. Streamflow Formation Factors, IASH, 3(45), 122–132.
Lvovitch, M.I., 1973. EOS, 54(1), American Geophysical Union.
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Herschy, R.W. (1998). World Water balance . In: Encyclopedia of Hydrology and Lakes. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht . https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4497-6_260
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4497-6_260
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