Mountains of the world, water towers for humanity: Typology, mapping, and global significance

Daniel Viviroli; Hans H. Dürr; Bruno Messerli; Michel Meybeck; Rolf Weingartner

doi:10.1029/2006wr005653

journal article Jul 01, 2007

Mountains of the world, water towers for humanity: Typology, mapping, and global significance

Daniel Viviroli

Hans H. Dürr Bruno Messerli Michel Meybeck Rolf Weingartner

Water Resources Research Vol. 43 No. 7 · American Geophysical Union (AGU)

View at Publisher Save 10.1029/2006wr005653

Abstract

Mountains are important sources of freshwater for the adjacent lowlands. In view of increasingly scarce freshwater resources, this contribution should be clarified. While earlier studies focused on selected river systems in different climate zones, we attempt here a first spatially explicit, global typology of the so‐called “water towers” at the 0.5° × 0.5° resolution in order to identify critical regions where disproportionality of mountain runoff as compared to lowlands is maximum. Then, an Earth systems perspective is considered with incorporation of lowland climates, distinguishing four different types of water towers. We show that more than 50% of mountain areas have an essential or supportive role for downstream regions. Finally, the potential significance of water resources in mountains is illustrated by including the actual population in the adjacent lowlands and its water needs: 7% of global mountain area provides essential water resources, while another 37% delivers important supportive supply, especially in arid and semiarid regions where vulnerability for seasonal and regional water shortage is high.

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Details

Published: Jul 01, 2007
Vol/Issue: 43(7)
License: View

Authors

D

Daniel Viviroli

Hydrology Group, Department of Geography University of Berne Berne Switzerland

H

Hans H. Dürr

Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht Netherlands

B

Bruno Messerli

Hydrology Group, Department of Geography University of Berne Berne Switzerland

M

Michel Meybeck

UMR 7619 Sisyphe Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris France

R

Rolf Weingartner

Hydrology Group, Department of Geography University of Berne Berne Switzerland

Cite This Article

Daniel Viviroli, Hans H. Dürr, Bruno Messerli, et al. (2007). Mountains of the world, water towers for humanity: Typology, mapping, and global significance. Water Resources Research, 43(7). https://doi.org/10.1029/2006wr005653

Mountains of the world, water towers for humanity: Typology, mapping, and global significance

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