3.6 - Water Flashcards

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1
Q

Precentage of freshwater on Earth and its sources

A

2.5% of water is freshwater
* stored in glaciers and ice sheets or as groundwater

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2
Q

Main sources of water (5)

A
  • Lakes and rivers
  • Aquifers
  • Reservoirs
  • Desalinisation
  • Rainwater harvesting
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3
Q

Groundwater as a supply of water (explain)

A

Water stored underground that has filtered through soil and rocks
* It is obtained by drilling boreholes or digging wells.
* When all the rock is fully saturated with water it is an aquifer.
* Groundwater may also come to the surface as a spring

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4
Q

Issues with groundwater as a water supply

A
  • Overuse or over abstraction of water in some areas means that aquifers do not have time to recharge through precipitation
  • Pollution from industry, agriculture and domestic waste can leach into the groundwater
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5
Q

Surface water as a water supply (explained)

A

Water which is stored in the lakes, reservoirs and rivers.

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6
Q

Surface water as a water supply issues

A
  • Pollution from industry, agriculture and domestic waste can enter the water system through surface run off
  • Dams are used to store water in reservoirs, but the construction of dams has slowed due to lack of suitable sites and concerns regarding the environmental impact
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7
Q

Desalinisation as a source of water (explained)

A

The removal of salt from sea water to mean that it can be used for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes

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8
Q

Desalinisation as a water supply issues

A

Expensive to set up and run - they use a lot of energy

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9
Q

Global water use by sector (3)

A
  • 70% agriculture - irrigation of crops and water for livestock
  • 20% industry - producing goods and generating energy
  • 10% domestic - toilets, cooking, cleaning, washing
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10
Q

Why is water demand higher in MEDCs than LEDCs? (name 3 reasons)

A
  • Improving living standards - people have more appliances/sanitation which use water
  • Increased use of water in leisure and tourism - water parks, golf courses
  • Increased urbanisation
  • Increasing industry - water is needed for the production of goods and energy production
  • Increasing use in agriculture - more water is needed for livestock
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11
Q

Water stress

A

Water stress occurs when the supply of water is below 1700m3 a year per person

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12
Q

Water scarcity

A

Water scarcity is when the supply is below 1000m3 a year per person

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13
Q

Causes of water shortages (name 3)

A
  • Low percipitation throughout the year or drought
  • Demand is greater than supply due to increasing population
  • Issues with abstraction in rivers - large amounts of water are taken from the upper course reducing the amount that reaches the lower course
  • High temperatures can increase evaporation and reduce water availability
  • Type of land use - agriculture leads to increased water consumption
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14
Q

Impacts of water shortages (name and explain 3)

A
  • Death and illness due to water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery
  • Potential for conflicts over water supply particularly where countries share a river basin
  • Children in rural areas in LEDCs often miss out on school as they are responsible for collecting water (may have to walk miles to the nearest water source)
  • Lack of food due to:
    • Crops cannot be irrigated and so yields are lower
    • Livestock dies due to a lack of water
  • Damaged ecosystems and loss of habitats
  • Affects economic development as water is not available for industry
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15
Q

Managing water supply in the industrial sector of MEDCs

A

Most water in MEDCs is used for industry. Some of this water could be recycled and used again within the process to reduce consumption

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16
Q

Managing water supply in the agricultural sector of MEDCs

A

Drip irrigation which delivers water to the roots of plants.
Irrigation leads to 40% of the water used being lost to evaporation and poor management.
Drip irrigation reduces this loss significantly

17
Q

Managing water supply in the domestic sector of MEDCs (name 3 approaches)

A
  • Water efficient appliances
  • Rainwater collection
  • Use of grey water for washing cars and watering plants
  • Low flush toilets and water saving shower heads
  • Water companies fixing leaks and improving efficiency
18
Q

Use of appropriate technology in LEDCs for water management (name 3 approaches)

A
  • Wells
  • Gravity fed systems where water is piped from a spring or river higher up a valley
  • Boreholes use a hand pump to bring water to the surface
  • Rainwater collection from roofs
  • Drip irrigation
  • Drought resistant crops