Notes

MY NOTES (Article):
A study has found that the flow of water from Earth's largest rivers has declined over the past 50 years, due mainly to climate change.
This study was done by scientists in Boulder, Colorado. These scientists studied 925 large rivers, around the world. They measured flow from these rivers between 1925 and 2004.Earth's shrinking rivers are Asia's Changjiang Ganges, Irrawaddy, and Xijiang. The flow from Africa's Congo and Niger rivers has decreased. So has the flow from South America's Amazon River.
many and most rivers drain in to oceans. the overall effect, their was a decrease in flow over the years. Scientists found a drop in the amount of fresh water flowing into most oceans. the Indian Ocean fell about 3 percent.The flow into the Pacific Ocean fell about 6 percent, which is like shutting down the Mississippi River.
Scientists discovered only a slight change in the early river flow into the Atlantic. There decreases in the Amazon River were balanced out by an increase in our own Mississippi River. The flow of the Mississippi River increased more than 22 percent, due to increased rainfall.
the Arctic Ocean showed an increase. There, the yearly river streamflow rose about 10 percent.
The changes in river flows is mainly the result of climate change. Earths warming tempatures have caused flooding in some regions. Other areas have expirienced reduced rainfall. They Also have expierenced droughts. Droughts place even greater demands on the already shrinking rivers. They increase the need for dams and other ways to direct river water. This water is used for agriculture and industry.
Freshwater resources will likely decline in the coming decades. Due to the Climate changes.
In the Arctic, climate change has caused snow and ice to melt quicker. This accounts for the increased river flow in the Atlantic Ocean
Because of disappearing glaciers, it will make matters worse
In some regions the effects of climate change on Earths rivers are made worse by weather phenomena. El Nino is a cooling of sea surface waters in the tropical Pacific. The phenomenon happens regularly, scientists noted that the phenomenon led to overflows in the Amazon river. El Niño Led to higher flows in the Mississippi River
The scientists are concerned about the decline in rivers. In particular, they are mainly concerned about the Ganges in India and the Nigar in Africa, Also, they're worried about the Colorado River (Colorado is located in the southern US)scientists worry because the rivers flow through densely in inhabited areas. The water is in great demand and these places in smaller populations and areas.
These changes will effect humans. A scientist named Palmer is a an expert, he said that many of these regions have large populations
There are many reasons to be concerned about this decreasing stream flow. One concern is rivers that supply oceans with important nutrients. Another change is the changes in stream flows can bring changes in the oceans temperature. They also effect salt levels in the ocean. All these changes are known to affect the patterns of the oceans currents around the world.
Kevin Trenberth is a scientist in Boulder, he is concerned the climate change and its effects on rivers and humans.