Posts Tagged ‘population growth’

“Together we dig in, for all we’re worth,” so says award-winning author and journalist Barbara Kingsolver in this month’s National Geographic’s special water issue, as she describes how the world’s water crisis does not discriminate between Australian farmers and migratory salmon.

“Fresh Water” takes a poetic and utterly sober look at the world’s diminishing freshwater supply. Even though the amount of water on the earth hasn’t changed since the age of the dinosaurs, variables such as drought, population growth and climate change now threaten our abundance and access to that water.

Kingsolver carries the reader on a journey from damp Appalachia to irrigation-happy Arizona to the Piura Desert, one of the most arid regions on the planet, reminding us that if we have access to ample fresh water today (nevermind indoor plumbing) we are one of the fortunate few.

In addition to drought, population growth is one of the greatest reasons for water shortages in this country. Metro Nashville and the ten surrounding counties (commonly called the Cumberland Region) have experienced tremendous growth since 1960.

According to the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), the greater Nashville area will have a population of over 2.3 million by 2030—in comparison to Nashville’s 1.6 million population today.

Offering incentives for residents to conserve water will hopefully be an integral part of the city’s urban planning. If not, where will this water come from? What happens if Tennessee is hit by another serious drought? Shouldn’t we answer these questions before the proverbial well runs dry?