Half world's largest lakes and reservoirs drying up — studyDried up La Mesa dam in Quezon City is pictured in this March 9, 2019 photo. WASHINGTON, United States — More than half of the world's largest lakes and reservoirs are dwindling and placing humanity's future water security at risk, with climate change and unsustainable consumption the main culprits, a study said Thursday. Increased temperatures from climate change drive evaporation, but can also decrease precipitation in some places. Globally, freshwater lakes and reservoirs store 87 percent of the planet's liquid freshwater, underscoring the urgency of new strategies for sustainable consumption and climate mitigation. "If a good chunk of freshwater lakes are drying, then you're going to see the impact come to you one way or the other, if not now in the not too distant future," said Rajagopalan.
