Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Aqueduct Water Resource Atlas


 Image: Aqueduct, World Resources Institute






Threats to our global water resources can now be visualized with this impressive online tool: The Aqueduct Water Resource Atlas.  After three years of development, the map was recently launched through the nonprofit organization Water Resources Institute.   Users of the map will be able to access geo-tagged scientific data and that creates twelve different water risk indicators to create a visualization of where and how water risks exist.  Selected mapping variables include drought severity, flood occurrence, groundwater stress, and access to water.  This tool allows companies, governments, and environmental organizations  to visualize and compare water conditions across continents and make appropriate decisions about future investments, programs, and responses. 

Read Rachel Nuwer's NYT blog post "A One-Stop Shop for Water Worries" here

Video tutorial on "How to Use the Tool" here