The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-26
ow Much Water
On the Earthp

XK1ATER is both a necessity and
w luxury, We cannot do without
it. We drink it. we wash in it. we
swim in it and we sail on it. 1t is
everywhere about us Water has not
changed with the passing of centuries
Like air, 1t is vitality associated with
the life OF man. writes Charles Nevers
Holmes IN Science and Invention.
Water ls everywhere about us-upon
the terrestrial surface, beneath the ter
restrial surface. in the air Upon the
terrestrial surface there are, Of COURSE
FIVE great oceans, Pacific, Atlantic. In
dian. Antarctic and Arctic. These i've
great salt water bodies approximate
total area of 10000 900 square miles.
with an average depth OF i-S miles.
or a total volume OF about S2s.oo0.0oe
cubic miles Adding to this the amount
of water in lakes and rivers. the total
volume OF salt and fresh water upon
the terrestrial surface approximates
S27 900. 900 cubic miles.
There is great deal OF water be-
meath the terrestrial surface. There Is
water in the soil and there are UNI
derground streams However, In all
probability. neither the soil nor these
streams are very deep. II is very
likely that there exists extensive res
ervoirs OF water underground. but II
is uni kelly that the comparatively
small amount Of water in the soil. and
in underground streams and reservoirs.
would appreciably increase the vast
ha tor ct RI
surface
And likewise the water vapor In the
air Is hardly to be cons dered in esti-
mating how much water onr earth pos
sesses Tt IS true that our atmosphere
extends 70 a height approximately 800
miles. but most OF its moisture lies
below a height OF about seven miles
However. the water both beneath the
terrestrial surface and in the air adds
something TO the estimated 327 600 900
cubic miles OF water upon the terres-
trial surface Accordingly, we allow
for the additional water beneath our
earth's surface and in its air. as well
as to correct any possible underesti-
nation OF the amount OF water upon
the terrestrial surface. an estimate OF
the total volume Of water which our
earth possesses approximates 30.000,-
600 cubic miles.
Now. let ms see what $50 600. 600
cubic miles or water really signify.
The total surface area or our earth
IS about 197 600 600 square miles, and.
therefore. were our earth's surface
wholly Uniform all Of the water pos
sessed BY our world would completely
cover IL to d depth or about %
miles n an Or this vast amount OF
water should ascend into the air and
then descend to the terrestrial surface
in deluge OF rain. falling everywhere.
at the rate Of IS 10 inches a day.
which is reported to have once de-
scended upon region In India such
a terrific rain would fall continually
upon our earth's surface for more than
eleven years
II the Missouri Mississippi River sys-
TEN were the only river in the world.
ana were this system to pour its waters
into reservoir vast enough to CON
tain all OF the terrestrial water. il
would take. under conditions on maxi
mum discharge from the Missouri
Mississippi. about $500 centuries to
fill that reservoir
And II all OF our terrestrial water
were to descend upon New York City.
not draining off. it would inundats
that city under a hood approximating
depth of 1000 900 milesl