Mountains as Water Towers

Mountains are often described as the world’s water towers. They store and release water through snow, glaciers, forests, soils, watersheds and aquifers. This water sustains agriculture, energy production, ecosystems, settlements and urban populations far beyond mountain regions.

In many regions, downstream populations, irrigated agriculture, hydropower, industry and cities depend directly or indirectly on water originating in mountain areas. When glaciers retreat, snow regimes change, forests degrade or soils erode, the consequences extend far beyond mountain communities. They affect river flows, water security, food production, energy systems and disaster risk.

For Mediterranean islands, the role of mountain water systems is especially important. Water scarcity, seasonal pressure, climate variability and limited hydrological reserves make mountain watersheds, forests, soils and traditional water-management systems central to territorial resilience.

Protecting mountain water systems is therefore a matter of food security, public health, ecosystem stability, climate adaptation and territorial cohesion.

Καταρράκτης της Χαντάρας, Φοινί