World of Rivers [reverse is titled Hidden Water]; A New Mapping of Every River System

Approximately 20 inches by 30 inches, images and text on both sides. Folded such that there are 16 panels per side). This was the map supplement to the April 2010 magazine issue. A new chapter of river mapping reveals the true intricacies of river flow as headwaters feed consecutively larger tributaries that surrender their water to the main stream. Most rivers are now yoked with dams and reservoirs, but on this map, rivers run free. Hidden Waters--sever a pound of beef and you are also serving up 1,857 gallons of water. A cup of coffee? That’s 37 gallons, enough to fill the average bathtub. Pull on a pair of jeans and you’re soaking in 2,900 gallons. This is our freshwater consumption we don’t directly see. It’s called virtual water: the amount of water used to create a product. The concept was coined by geographer Tony Allan of King’s College London in the earl 1990’s to explain why Middle Eastern countries, with limited water resources, were not in outright ware over water. His answer? They imported food—food grown with other countries’ water. Dutch scientist Arjen Hoekstra and colleagues at UNESCO and the University of Twente later calculated the virtual water in commodities as a tool for water management and to give countries, companies and individuals a clearer measure of their water footprint. VIRTUAL-WATER FLOW Trillions of gallon of virtual water are transferred in the global trade of agricultural products – comparable to the volume of water that yearly flows down the Congo River. Regions leading in beef and grain exports are the top exporters of virtual water. To feed a growing population, experts say that water-use efficiency will need to double in the next 20 years. Weighing the export value of a crop against its impact on the local water supply, and charging more to reflect the water’s value, could become part of the equation. Presumed First Edition/First Printing thus.…