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Report: Urban sprawl worsens drought
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Urban sprawl and the paving of American cities are reducing the amount of groundwater available to communities, according to a report released Wednesday by environmental groups. A study by American Rivers, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Smart Growth America said the impervious surfaces that characterize sprawl development -- roads, roofs, driveways and parking lots -- result in a substantial loss of water filtration to recharge groundwater aquifers. Betsy Otto, senior director of watershed programs for American Rivers and an author of the report, told a news conference "sprawl is not causing drought." She added, "Many communities are experiencing water shortages, and they are being made worse by the impacts of sprawl." The report looked at 18 major "sprawl centers" and found the potential amount of water lost to recharge was from 6.2 billion to 14.4 billion gallons in Dallas to between 56.9 billion and 132.8 billion gallons in Atlanta. "Atlanta's losses," the report said, "amounted to enough water to supply the average daily household needs of 1.5 million to 3.6 million people per year." Water is "lost" to communities, the report said, when it goes downstream as surface water rather than recharging groundwater aquifers. "Water that recharges underground aquifers is 'stored'" at least for some time," the report said, "and can be tapped by the community. It also contributes to a reliable base flow of clean water in local streams and rivers and is especially important during drier times of the year."

posted by West 6:35 PM