changes in the hydrological cycle

• irrigation water can deplete the sources of the water, such as aquifers or rivers
• soil erosion caused by agriculture can reduce the effect that soil has on the hydrological cycle such as water retention and the moderation of extremes in river flow
• soil compaction can increase runoff rates and cause more rapid fluctuations in river flow
• • agriculture changes evapotranspiration rates but the actual change depends on the ecosystem that was present before farming started
  • evapotranspiration is increased in arid areas but may be reduced in areas where forests were removed