Water resources are vital now and will be even more vital in 2030. That is only 20 years from now. The future of our children is in stake if action is not taken to monitor and wisely manage these resources. According to Natasha Gilbert, holding up improved management practices is jeopardizing the future of our water resources. Due to water usage increasing to an astounding 2 trillion cubic meters by 2030, there is no room for procrastination on proper water management. Water usage ties into the global supermarkets that are producing more and more food for a growing population. With more agriculture comes more demand for water. Already 70 to 90% of the annual water is going to food production. In the next 40 years, food demands will double putting a strain on water supply in the rivers. Declining water tables will have a negative affect on the life of rivers. With all this taken into consideration, monitoring is crucial for accurate and timely allocation of needed water for agriculture. In this particular case, technology is the key to proper and affective measuring and monitoring water resources via satellites with remote sensing devices. According to Colin Chartres, director of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Battaramulla, Sri Lanka, this technology will be up and running within the next three to five years.
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