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All over the world, total annual renewable water resources is estimated as to be
approximately 54365 x 109 m3 (Annex 6). Renewable water resource of COMCEC,
OECD and the DEV countries are 7425; 6886 and 11511 km 3, respectively (Figure 7.1).
Figure 7.1. Total Actual Renewable Water
Source: AQUASTAT, 2013
Total renewable water resources consist of surface and ground water resources.
In general around the world, renewable ground water resources corresponds about 25%
of total surface water resources. Among the LDC, OECD and DEV countries, LDC
countries have the lowest level water resources (Figure 7.1).
Dams are built to meet domestic and irrigation water needs of people, to produce
energy and to prevent floods. They arrange temporal water needs. Besides these basic
functions, dams also play significant roles for fisheries, recreation sites, water sports
and other activities. Dams are critical water storage structures for irrigation since they
store the water when it is abundant and release it when it is needed.
All over the world, the total capacity of water storage structures reached to
approximately 7085 x 109 m 3. The annual renewable water resources in LDC, OECD
and DEV countries were at 2717x109, 461x109 and 2074x109 m 3 levels, respectively
(Figure 7.2).