Why is soil and water so important?

  1.  Soil water is the global largest ‘reservoir’: globally two-thirds of all fresh water is held in soils as soil ‘reservoir’ or green water, accessible to plant; only one tenth of fresh water is blue water - stream flow and groundwater that can be abstracted for general use.
  2.  Soil water is a crucial nutrient to plants and is also a media for transporting nutrients for plant growth. It also plays key role in soil forming process, weathering of rocks and process of photosynthesis.
  3.  Soil water can become blue water or recharge groundwater by gravity.
  4.  Soil water controls the exchange of heat and water energy between the atmosphere and land surface

Global green and blue water flows.