The consequences of our water policies extend beyond jeopardizing human health. Tens of millions of people have been forced to move from their homes - often with little warning or compensation - to make way for the reservoirs behind dams. More than 20% of all freshwater fish species are now threatened or endangered because dams and water withdrawals have destroyed the free-flowing river ecosystems where they thrive. Certain irrigation practices degrade soil quality and reduce arigicultural productivity. Groundwater aquifers* are being pumped down faster than they are naturally replenished in partof of India, china, the USA and elwhere. And disputes over shared water resources have led to violence and continue to raise local, national and even international tensions.