Environmental Science - Water Cycle, Policy and Resources

This Environmental Science assignment explores the water cycle and water resource management. The student adopts the perspective of a water molecule, detailing its journey through the hydrological cycle, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and interactions with organisms. The assignment also addresses water scarcity in the arid southwestern United States, proposing policy recommendations from the perspective of a state governor. These policies include reducing reliance on water for electricity generation, establishing red zones for water table depletion, regulating domestic water supply, educating the public on water conservation, and imposing limitations and penalties on industrial water usage. The assignment demonstrates an understanding of the water cycle, environmental challenges, and potential solutions for sustainable water management.

Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2
The first prompt
Assuming that am a water molecule, so let me begin by where am I at the moment, that is
sea and ocean where am tightly packed together with my fellow molecules. When I get just a
sufficient amount of heat energy, I will immediately spin upwards out of the liquid ocean
(evaporating into the atmosphere). In the atmosphere, I will drift vastly isolated from my fellow
molecules in a gaseous state where I am known as vapor. As my fellow and I drift upwards and
cool, we will start to clump together in the process human refer to as condensation. In case a
sufficient number of us clump together, we will start a thrilling free-fall back to the planet as
precipitation (as human calls it). Through taking this ride on several occasions before, in the can
for sure tell you that several things have occurred to me when I reach the ground. In case I hit a
body, will ultimately evaporate back up into the air (as gas)
When I hit the ground as precipitation, most cases as precipitation in the past has led to
many different things occurring. In some cases, I have infiltrated into the soil where I percolate
into the groundwater eventually making my ways to the rivers and streams which carries me
back to the seas and oceans. But in some cases, I have been taken up by the roots of plants
where I will also move to the atmosphere through the leaves of the plants after being transported
by their steam. This process where I move into the atmosphere through the leaves is termed as
transpiration by man (Shiklomanov, 2010). When am in liquid form both man and other animals
take as through drinking and incorporate me into their bodies where at the point I will be part of
tears in human. Every path is taking once I fall as precipitation, nevertheless, all lead me to be
evaporated once again and the cycle continues (Bengtsson, 2014).

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 3
Prompt 4
The reason why most people move to the southwestern part even though they are arid is because
this region is the quickest growing part of the US (Thomas, 2018). Assuming I am the governor
of one state (like Arizona). I am entrusted with a major obligation towards the water supplies
being overdrawn in the region. The population in the region has surged at an alarming rate from
merely a few hundred thousand people in 1900 to tens of millions in just one century and a few
years which is the result of the increased local population and rising number of immigrants in the
region (Zehr, 2013). Therefore, in order to replenish the water supplies and prevent the region
from completely running out of water supplies I would take action to implement the following
steps:
 Reducing the dependence on water for generating electricity and other power needs.
About 8 gallons of water is required to produce 1 KW of energy (utilized in operating one
air conditioner) in Arizona which means depletion of water sources (including
underground water).
 The areas where the water table is lowering at a rapid rate shall be marked as Red Zones.
The domestic water supply in the Red Zones shall be regulated to thrice a day: morning,
afternoon and evening for a period of six days.
 The people will be educated on the judicious utilization and management of water so that
every drop of the precious and the priceless resource is conserved and put to effective
use.
 The usage of water in different industries shall be subject to limitations on a monthly
basis. Those exceeding the limits shall be liable to a proportionate penalty.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 4
REFERENCES
Bengtsson, R.-M. B. (2014). The Earth's Hydrological Cycle. Liverpool: Springer Science & Business.
Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=ro3EBAAAQBAJ&dq=hydrological+cycle&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Shiklomanov, I. A. (2010). Hydrological Cycle Volume II. Harvard: EOLSS Publications. Retrieved from
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=KAiCCwAAQBAJ&dq=hydrological+cycle&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Thomas, W. H. (2018). The Arid Southwestern United States: An Annotated Bibliography. California:
Institute of Marine Resources, University of California, Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=iHNiVUMMZn4C&dq=arid+southwestern+United+States&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Zehr, R. M. (2013). Depth-area Ratios in the Semi-arid Southwest United States. Hull: University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=_KMR4HXBQp0C&dq=arid+southwestern+United+States&source=gbs_navlinks_s