Ugo Bardi has this striking image at The Oil Drum, showing the effect of Saudi irrigation in the desert.
"Saudi Arabian cultivated fields as visible using Google Earth. Each circle is an irrigated area of about 1 km diameter. The whole square is about 10 km side."
The post itself considers the impact of the depletion of aquifers in Saudi Arabia, and whether or not water can instead be supplied by desalination.
"Saudi Arabian cultivated fields as visible using Google Earth. Each circle is an irrigated area of about 1 km diameter. The whole square is about 10 km side."
The post itself considers the impact of the depletion of aquifers in Saudi Arabia, and whether or not water can instead be supplied by desalination.