4.2 Access to Freshwater Flashcards
Water Security
Ensuring sustainable access to adequate quantities and quality of water for health, livelihoods, and production.
Water Stress
A situation where the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when its use is restricted due to poor quality.
Water Scarcity
A lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region.
Economic Water Scarcity vs Physical Water Scarcity
Economic Water Scarcity: Lack of investment in water infrastructure or technology, leading to an unequal distribution of water.
Physical Water Scarcity: Insufficient natural water resources to meet a region’s demand.
Day Zero (0)
A term used to describe the day when a city’s water supply is expected to run out, prompting severe restrictions.
Domestic Water Consumption
Water used for household purposes such as drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing.
Typically also includes pools, and gardens.
Municipal Water Supply
The provision of water by a municipality (strategic/governmental unit) for residential, commercial, and industrial use within a community.
Water Allocation
The distribution of water resources among users, including agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors.
Water Restrictions
Regulations limiting water use during periods of drought or scarcity, to ensure sustainable management of the resource.
Limiting car washing, garden watering, shower-length etc
Water Buyback Scheme
A policy where the government purchases water rights from users to restore environmental flows in rivers and lakes.
Water Rights
Held by farmers to grant them legal access to a specific amount of water for agricultural purposes, such as irrigation. These rights can be essential for crop production and are typically tied to the land or allocated by government agencies based on local water laws and regulations.
Greywater
Wastewater generated from domestic activities like laundry, dishwashing, and bathing, which can be recycled for non-potable uses.
Not toilets…this is called sewage!
Potable water
Water that is safe for human consumption. It is free from harmful contaminants, pathogens, and pollutants, meeting health standards for drinking, cooking, and other domestic uses.
Rainwater Harvesting
The collection and storage of rainwater for reuse on-site, rather than allowing it to run off.
Water table
The upper surface of the zone of saturation.
Aquifer
A geological formation that can store, transmit, and supply groundwater.
Artesian water
Groundwater that is confined under pressure in an aquifer, which flows to the surface through wells without pumping.
Aquifer Recharge
The process by which water is added to an aquifer, either naturally through precipitation or artificially.
Drawdown
The lowering of the water table around a well as water is pumped out.
Potentiometric Surface
The level to which water will rise in a well due to the hydraulic head in a confined aquifer.
Confining bed
A layer of impermeable rock or sediment that restricts the flow of groundwater from one aquifer to another.
Capping and Piping
Techniques used to control the flow of water from an aquifer, often involving sealing or installing pipes to manage water extraction.
Subsidence
The gradual sinking of the ground due to excessive withdrawal of groundwater, leading to compaction of the aquifer.
Don’t confuse with “subsistence”
Great Artesian Basin
One of the largest artesian groundwater basins in the world, located in Australia.
Supplies water for stock in otherwise arid and un-productive pastoral country.
Flood irrigation
A traditional method of irrigation where water is poured over a field, leading to high water use and potential waste.
Drip irrigation
A water-efficient irrigation method that delivers water directly to plant roots through a network of tubes, reducing evaporation and runoff.
Aral Sea
A formerly large lake in Central Asia, now largely dried up due to diversion of inflowing rivers for irrigation.
Lake Chad
A large, shallow lake in Africa, experiencing significant shrinkage due to climate change and water extraction.
Three Gorges Dam
A hydroelectric dam on the Yangtze River in China, one of the largest in the world.
Colorado River
A major river in the southwestern United States, crucial for water supply in the region but heavily over-allocated.
Hoover Dam
A large dam on the Colorado River, providing water storage, hydroelectric power, and recreation.
Hydroelectric Power
Electricity generated by the energy of flowing water, typically using dams to harness and convert energy.
Run of River Dam
A type of hydroelectric power generation that uses the natural flow of the river without large reservoirs, minimizing environmental impact.
Advantages of damming a river
Includes water storage for irrigation and drinking, flood control, hydroelectric power generation, and recreation.
Disadvantages of damming a river
Can disrupt local ecosystems, displace communities, cause sediment buildup, and alter water temperature and flow patterns.
Wastewater
Water that has been used in homes, businesses, and industries and is no longer clean.
Wastewater Recycling
The process of treating wastewater to make it suitable for reuse, either for irrigation, industrial processes, or even as potable water.
Cloud Seeding
A weather modification technique that involves dispersing substances into the air to encourage precipitation.
Desalinisation
The process of removing salt and other impurities from seawater to produce fresh water.
Advantages of desalinisation
Provides a reliable source of fresh water, especially in arid regions or during droughts.
Disadvantages of desalinisation
High energy consumption, expensive, and can have environmental impacts due to brine disposal.
Drought
an extended period of time when an area experiences a shortage of water supply, typically due to lower-than-average rainfall. This lack of precipitation can lead to water scarcity, affecting agriculture, drinking water supplies, and the environment. Droughts can vary in severity and duration, and they often result in significant economic, social, and ecological impacts.
How Does Climate Change Affect the Availability of Freshwater?
Climate change can alter precipitation patterns, increase the frequency and severity of droughts, and reduce snowmelt, impacting freshwater availability.
What might cause water scarcity to increase (or Be High)?
Factors include population growth, over-extraction of water resources, pollution, inefficient water use, and climate change.
Management strategies that might reduce water scarcity
Includes water conservation measures, improved irrigation techniques, wastewater recycling, desalination, and sustainable water management policies.
Pivot Irrigation
A mechanized irrigation system that rotates around a central pivot point, distributing water evenly across a circular field.
Can lead to water losses through wind drift
Abstraction
the process of extracting water from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, aquifers, or reservoirs for use in agriculture, industry, or domestic consumption.
