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Climate Change and Water Scarcity

Interactive passage with audio narration, comprehension questions, and printable PDF.

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Format: Interactive (Online), Printable (PDF)
Grades: 5678
Subjects: sciencereadingela
Standards: MS-ESS3-5
Languages: English, Spanish

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What's included

Reading passage

Reading comprehension

Audio narration

With word word highlighting

Comprehension quiz

Auto-graded

Writing activity

Open-ended response

Glossary & flashcards

Vocabulary practice

Differentiated version

Adapted for varied levels

Spanish translation

Bilingual support

About this reader

This 400-500 word informational science reading passage for grades 6-8 examines how climate change threatens freshwater availability. Aligned with NGSS standard MS-ESS3-5, the passage explains four key ways climate disrupts water supplies: prolonged droughts that empty rivers and reservoirs, shrinking mountain glaciers and earlier snowmelt reducing dry-season water flow, shifting precipitation patterns leaving regions parched, and rising sea levels pushing saltwater into coastal freshwater sources. Students explore how competition for limited water among agriculture, drinking water, sanitation, and industry affects communities worldwide. The passage connects to water cycle concepts and drought mechanisms from Earth Science units, helping students understand how climate disruptions impact daily human life. Audio-integrated features support diverse learners. Includes Spanish translation, simplified differentiated version, glossary of key terms like precipitation, reservoir, and aquifer, plus comprehension activities and graphic organizers for deeper understanding of cause-and-effect relationships in Earth systems.

Written by Workybooks TeamPublished by Workybooks

Sample passage and quiz content

CONTENT PREVIEW

"A man carries water across a parched landscape in Sagaing, revealing drought impact." by Pyae Phyo Aung / Pexels.

Freshwater is essential for life, but only about 3 percent of Earth's water is fresh. Most of that is frozen in ice caps and glaciers. Climate change is making the small amount of available freshwater even less reliable. Evidence shows that warming temperatures disrupt the water cycle in ways that threaten supplies people depend on every day.

Climate change affects freshwater availability through several connected processes. First, higher temperatures cause more frequent and severe droughts. These dry periods last longer and cover larger areas than in the past. Rivers shrink and reservoirs drop to dangerously low levels. Second, mountain glaciers are melting faster than they can rebuild. These glaciers act like natural water towers, storing winter snow and releasing meltwater gradually through dry summer months. When glaciers shrink, less water flows downstream when communities need it most. Third, warmer air changes precipitation patterns around the world. Some regions receive less rainfall overall, while others get intense storms followed by long dry spells. Fourth, rising sea levels push saltwater into coastal aquifers and wells. This process, called saltwater intrusion, makes freshwater undrinkable without expensive treatment.

Scientists observe these impacts in real places today. Cape Town, South Africa, nearly ran out of water in 2018 after three years of severe drought. Reservoirs dropped to just 20 percent capacity. Residents could use only 50 liters per person each day, less than half a typical bathtub. The city avoided "Day Zero," when taps would shut off completely, only through strict conservation and emergency measures. This crisis showed how quickly water scarcity can affect millions of people.

Water scarcity matters because farming, drinking water, sanitation, and industry all compete for the same limited supply. Agriculture uses about 70 percent of available freshwater worldwide. When water becomes scarce, food production suffers. Cities struggle to provide clean drinking water and maintain sewage systems. Factories may shut down without enough water for cooling and processing. These impacts ripple through communities, affecting health, food security, and economic stability. Understanding how climate change disrupts the water cycle helps explain why protecting water sources is critical for human survival.

Interesting Fact: A person can survive only about three days without water, but the average American uses 80 to 100 gallons per day for drinking, cooking, bathing, and flushing toilets.

What percentage of Earth's water is freshwater?

About 3 percentAbout 30 percentAbout 50 percentAbout 70 percent

How do mountain glaciers help provide water during dry seasons?

They create rain cloudsThey store winter snow and release meltwater graduallyThey filter saltwater into freshwaterThey prevent droughts from occurring

What does the term 'saltwater intrusion' mean in the passage?

Ocean water evaporating into the atmosphereFreshwater flowing into the oceanSaltwater pushing into freshwater aquifers and wellsSalt dissolving in mountain glaciers

Based on the passage, what is an aquifer?

A type of glacier found in mountainsUnderground layers that hold and transmit groundwaterA large lake used to store waterA device that removes salt from water

Why did Cape Town, South Africa, nearly run out of water in 2018?

A tsunami destroyed the water treatment plantsThree years of severe drought dried up reservoirsAll the glaciers in the region melted completelySaltwater intrusion contaminated all the wells

What can be inferred about the relationship between climate change and precipitation patterns?

Climate change makes rainfall more predictableClimate change increases rainfall equally everywhereClimate change causes uneven distribution of rainfall across regionsClimate change stops all precipitation worldwide

According to the passage, approximately what percentage of available freshwater does agriculture use worldwide?

20 percent40 percent70 percent90 percent

If mountain glaciers continue to shrink, what is the most likely effect on communities downstream?

They will receive more water during summer monthsThey will experience water shortages during dry seasonsThey will have better water quality year-roundThey will no longer need reservoirs

True or False: Most of Earth's freshwater is readily available for human use.

TrueFalse

True or False: Water scarcity can affect food production, health, and economic stability.

TrueFalse