CP-1997-01
Rainwater catchment systems as an important part for integrated resources development in arid and semiarid regions.
Fok, Yu-Si
From the viewpoint of regional resources development, water is a limiting resource in arid and semiarid regions. Rainwater is a natural renewable resource which should be harvested and preserved for beneficial uses. Especially in arid and semiarid regions, rainwater should not be allowed to be lost in the hydrologic cycle-such as through evaporation, interception, infiltration, and transpiration-without the benefit of production. This is because if water is available, many other resources can be developed more fully. This paper shows that rainwater catchment systems (RWCS) are a vital means for integrated resources development in arid and semiarid regions, where systems should not only be developed by the public sector but also be constructed by the private sector. A collective water harvesting effort conducted on a regional basis should be the water policy in the 21st century. From the micro-viewpoint, this paper demonstrates that RWCS can be a solution to the water shortage problem by providing a domestic water supply, irrigation for garden crops/landscapes, water for firefighting, and water for agricultural production. The concept of macro-viewpoint in terms of RWCS use in integrated resource development is introduced and its importance explored.