Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13:

At the core of all efforts for sustainable human development lies an adequate supply of freshwater. With increasing population numbers and economic growth, it is imperative that we reach a balance between demand and the availability of freshwater, protect available resources in rivers, lakes and aquifers, and prevent disputes over shared resources. Although a significant portion of the Earth's freshwater is renewed by the hydrological cycle, freshwater is still a finite resource and, unlike many other strategic resources, it has no substitute in most of its uses. Nearly half of all freshwater used for drinking and irrigation worldwide is groundwater, on which irrigation and the world's food supply are dependent. Yet, the world's groundwater resources are not well understood. Water resources management and related policy development require widely acceptable scientific information on the hydrology of water bodies. naturally occurring isotopes in water provide unique hydrological information and the associated techniques are highly cost effective. The applications of isotopes in hydrology have from the very beginning been part of the IAEA's programmes related to the peaceful applications of nuclear energy. The focus on the IAEA's work has been to develop appropriate methods for use in water resources management and to assist its Member States in using those methods. The IAEA has helped create a large body of isotope data on the world's rivers, lakes and aquifers that can be used for resource assessment and management on a local, regional and continental scale.