Explain how clearing of land also has a detrimental impact on the water supply.

The clearing of land generally means the erosion of soil. This soil erosion usually takes place due to the lack of precipitation, deforestation process and surface runoff or flood.

This soil erosion process affects the water supply directly. Due to the lack of vegetation in an area, the moisture content in the soil decreases significantly or vanishes, as a result of which the soil particles are extensively eroded by the wind and water.

Some of the soil particles are also added to the streams and river due to the surface runoff, or flooding in that area.

These soil particles comprising of different minerals when added to the rivers,  it affects the water quality, affecting the freshwater organisms and also extensive accumulation of these sediments lead to a decreasing rate of photosynthesis for the aquatic plants.