21.3 How can water supply be increased

Question 1

How can diverting supplies and increasing storage increase water supplies?

Answer 1

If some parts of the world’s surface water evaporates rapidly - the water can be stored in deep reservoirs or in permeable rocks

Question 2

How can dams and reservoirs increase water supplies?

Answer 2

Dams can regulate water supplies
Rainfall can be collected and stored when it is plentiful - then released gradually during drier periods - enables irrigation

Question 3

What is desalination?

Answer 3

Removing salt from seawater to produce fresh water

Question 4

What are some issues linked with desalination?

Answer 4

High cost of transporting the desalinated water to inland areas
Vast amount of energy required