High Evaporation in Arid Regions is A Major Problem: Do Solutions Exist?

Out of the many climate-related problems the world faces, evaporation can be one of the toughest to solve. The resources and technology needed to deal with it are not small, and arid regions also tend to not be well-developed. These two factors make solutions extremely expensive and challenging to implement. 

However, what was once considered a ‘far-away’ problem for Africa and Asia to deal with is now closer than ever before. In a recent report, NBC News pointed out how wildfire risks due to drought led to the Maui fires that killed 101 people. Evaporation is a serious concern, and in this article, let’s see what solutions can be implemented. 

What Parts of the World Are Facing Water Scarcity and Desertification?

High evaporation and the resulting drought are threats that can affect many parts of the world. In America, the southern Great Plains of Eastern Colorado, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma are showing dangerous signs. 

For example, an over-extraction of groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer along with rising temperatures can cause desertification if steps aren’t taken. The implications are massive when you consider that the Great Plains produce a quarter of all U.S. crops. 

In Europe, desertification is already occurring in places like Andalusia in the south of Spain. Similarly, Thessaly in Greece, Northern Macedonia, and Puglia in Italy are all showing dangerous trends of dryer summers, water scarcity, and desertification. 

Asian countries also face the same problems. Areas like the Loess Plateau in Northern China, Punjab in Northern India, and the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon are all facing water scarcity or desertification. 

With almost every corner of the world experiencing these effects, what is being done? Are there solutions that work? Let’s find out.

The Unique Potential of Atmospheric Water Harvesting

When you read the term, it sounds like something from Star Wars. After all, Luke Skywalker’s adopted family were moisture farmers. However, it isn’t limited to the sci-fi world. It’s a legitimate strategy that can work. 

Water is trapped in the air around you right now. The very air you breathe contains varying amounts of water vapor, based on the humidity levels. Atmospheric water harvesting, or AWH, aims to tap into this seemingly invisible source. If you want proof, just look at those little packets you see when you buy an electronic item. 

Those silica gel packets are mini AWH systems, albeit, not very effective beyond their specific purpose. Similarly, AC or HVAC units also produce water in the form of condensation, another classic example of small-scale AWH. 

Yes, the water isn’t clean, and the energy used to put it through reverse osmosis, ozonation, filtration, or UV exposure is expensive. Some HVAC units come with water reclamation systems that you can use for flushing toilets or watering your garden. 

Large-scale AWH is still challenging, but advancements via reticular chemistry are showing promise. According to Atoco, there’s potential to allow large amounts of adsorption even in low-humidity environments. That’s certainly promising news to hear. 

Evaporation Prevention Methods vs Water Wastage Laws? 

The Colorado River in America loses around 10 percent of water every year to evaporation. That’s a massive figure when you consider that it serves 40 million Americans. This kind of water loss is why Los Angeles dumped 96 million plastic balls into the LA Reservoir in 2015.  

The goal was to help reduce the loss of water to evaporation, and while it worked, a valid question would be if it’s worth it. Studies have shown that restricting water usage has a far bigger impact- in fact, ten times more when compared to savings from shade balls. 

While some continue to hope that covering up water bodies can help prevent evaporation, it’s becoming clear that prudent use is the way forward. This can also be witnessed by the way new laws in California are emerging. 

Statewide water restrictions have been approved, and restrictions on water use can be as high as 40% for some cities. Either way, water scarcity isn’t a crisis that’s going to be solved by one solution alone.

Long story short, evaporation and desertification are threats that are affecting many parts of the world. Unsustainable agriculture in the form of overcropping and overgrazing leads to desertification even in places that were once green and fertile.

Unfortunately, the public at large doesn’t seem to recognize just how serious a problem this is. In the Western part of America, you have over seventeen states that are vulnerable to desertification. Thankfully, solutions do exist, as we have seen today. They just require proper planning and effort to succeed.