Restore natural water cycles

Our planet has both large and small water cycles but it is the small water cycle that influences local rainfall patterns. It is estimated that an average of 720 mm of rain hits the planet’s land each year. 310 mm comes from the large water cycle yet 410 mm comes from the repeated evaporation-precipitation process of the small water cycle. This small cycle is impacted by the grass, tree or vegetation cover of a particular region.

Deforestation, agriculture and urbanisation have all had a huge impact on the small water cycles of the planet. The water that was once captured in soils covered with vegetation, now quickly evaporates or washes off degraded lands or concrete surfaces. Many of the trees that transpired water from the ground into the atmosphere have been removed. The good news is that by restoring the small water cycle in your region via extensive tree, crop and vegetation cover, you could actually see results in your lifetime. Local summers would be cooler, local winters would be warmer, local droughts would be less severe and local rainfall events less extreme.

In urban areas, the small water cycle would be improved by recycling stormwater, domestic wastewater and the effluent from sewerage systems. We could also help by ‘wilding our towns and cities’ by covering the land areas (and rooftops)with vegetation.