1. World problems
  2. Water-related hazards and dangers

Water-related hazards and dangers

  • Harmful consequences of use of watercourses

Nature

There is only a superficial difference between emergencies and dangerous situations involving pollution and those involving floods and floating ice. The former are often the result of human activity, whereas the causes of the latter are frequently natural. Phenomena which are often purely natural may in some instances be exacerbated, or even wholly caused by human intervention. Floods, for example, may be caused or rendered more harmful by such human activities as the construction of canals or dams or land use practices, such as deforestation, which causes unnaturally rapid run-off. Conversely nature may interact with human activities to produce disastrous consequences, as in the case of flooding caused by earthquake damage to dams. There is therefore a continuum of possibilities ranging from the wholly natural to the wholly man-made.

Incidence

The conditions most often giving rise to complaints and creating the need for deliberate international planning are those that cause in other countries: shortage of surface or ground-water supply; flooding; siltation; salinization; depletion of fish and elimination of breeding areas; eutrophication; excess vegetation; concentration of salts or other chemicals, untreated sewage, radioactive substances, oil or waste products (introduced from ship or shore); changes in temperature; blockage of passage (fish, vessels, timber); diminishing of scouring; and changes of flow. Even the otherwise innocent and beneficial use of fertilizers, the attempt to control the invasive water hyacinth, the construction of weirs for water storage and flood control, the drainage of a swamp, the cooling of a thermoelectric plant, or the return of irrigation water to the river may produce damaging consequences in other parts of the basin. Although the harm occurs most often downstream, among the numerous exceptions to this general rule are the effects in boundary streams and lakes. Some conditions are likely to be felt both upstream and downstream, particularly when fishing, navigation or timber floating is involved. Another factor which may contribute to water-related dangers is the phenomenon of global warming resulting in either excess or diminished rainfall with the consequent flooding or droughts.

Claim

Water-related hazards and dangers pose an urgent and critical threat to global safety and well-being. From devastating floods and destructive hurricanes to the insidious spread of waterborne diseases, the consequences are dire. Millions suffer annually, and ecosystems are irreparably damaged. Ignoring this pressing issue is not an option; we must prioritize education, infrastructure, and sustainable practices to mitigate these risks. The time to act is now—our lives and the health of our planet depend on it.This information has been generated by artificial intelligence.

Counter-claim

Water-related hazards and dangers are often overstated and sensationalized. While occasional floods or droughts occur, they are part of natural cycles that humanity has adapted to for centuries. The focus on these issues distracts from more pressing global challenges like poverty and healthcare. Instead of panicking over water-related events, we should prioritize innovation and resilience in our communities. Overemphasizing water hazards only breeds unnecessary fear and diverts attention from real, solvable problems.This information has been generated by artificial intelligence.

Broader

Narrower

Riverine floods
Presentable
Ice jams
Presentable
Aquatic weeds
Presentable
Tidal water damage
Unpresentable

Aggravated by

Mechanical failure
Unpresentable

Strategy

Using freshwater
Yet to rate

Value

Goodness-Badness
Presentable
Safety-Danger
Presentable
Dangerous
Yet to rate
Hazard
Yet to rate
Harm
Yet to rate

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal #6: Clean Water and SanitationSustainable Development Goal #14: Life Below Water

Metadata

Database
World problems
Type
(C) Cross-sectoral problems
Biological classification
N/A
Subject
  • Hydrology » Rivers and lakes
  • Hydrology » Water
  • Societal problems » Hazards
  • Content quality
    Presentable
     Presentable
    Language
    English
    1A4N
    J4528
    DOCID
    12045280
    D7NID
    134953
    Last update
    May 20, 2022