Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute

 

ORCID IDs

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7216-1397

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4504-1407

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4769-5239

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6490-3733

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9116-1691

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5551-3140

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3573-9759

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5366-0633

Date of this Version

4-2020

Document Type

Article

Citation

U.S. Government Works

Comments

NATuRe SuSTAiNABiLiTY | VOL 3 | APRIL 2020 | 319–328 | www.nature.com/natsustain

Abstract

Human consumption of freshwater is now approaching or surpassing the rate at which water sources are being naturally replenished in many regions, creating water shortage risks for people and ecosystems. Here we assess the impact of human water uses and their connection to water scarcity and ecological damage across the United States, identify primary causes of river dewatering and explore ways to ameliorate them. We find irrigation of cattle-feed crops to be the greatest consumer of river water in the western United States, implicating beef and dairy consumption as the leading driver of water shortages and fish imperilment in the region. We assess opportunities for alleviating water scarcity by reducing cattle-feed production, finding that temporary, rotational fallowing of irrigated feed crops can markedly reduce water shortage risks and improve ecological sustainability. Long-term water security and river ecosystem health will ultimately require Americans to consume less beef that depends on irrigated feed crops.

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