Task Group WaterDue to expanding irrigation areas, accelerated industriali¬sation and a growing population, water demand is increasing dramatically, leading to an over¬exploitation of groundwater. In addition, the global climate change will have a large impact on the sensitive water balance in the region. A significant re¬duc¬tion of the vital glaciers is anticipated. The forecasted effects will pose a major challenge to the key actors, especially concerning the supply of drinking water. Sustainable con¬cepts that promote the efficient use of water in agriculture, industry and private households are to be etablished. Also, sustainable recycling concepts for wastewater treatment are to be im¬ple¬men¬ted in order to counter the shortage of clean water.
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Figure: Schematic view of the vertical transect through the study region. The three sites discussed in this study are marked by red rectangles: A (Sparsely vegetated semi-desert area), B (hillslope at mountain foothills) and C (high alpine meadows). |
