5.9 Flashcards
What is hard engineering in reference to the water cycle?
Manage water supplies to ensure consistent flow E.g. Dams
What is soft engineering in reference to the water cycle?
Managing water supplies to manage how water is used E.g. rainwater storage
What is the south north water project?
45% of China’s population is in Beijing however they have 7% of the water
● project to supply water from south to north of china
● involves 3 canals
● 1 from yantze river
● 2 from han river
● 3 joins yangtze river to yellow river as it goes through Beijing
+ reduces water abstraction
+ more water in jing-jin-ji area
- forced relocation
- impact other countries like Myanmar, Thailand
- reduces water in yangtze
- expensive
What are examples of hard engineering strategies?
South north water project
Three gorges dam
Desalination
Explain the three gorges dam case study
● on yangtze river, upstream of shanghai
● one of largest HEP in the world
+ electric from dam provides significant amount
- dam flooded 600km2
- 1500 villages and cities flooded
- 1.3 million relocated
- methane released
Explain the Israel desalination project
● sorek plant
● water drawn from Mediterranean
● 20% of israels domestic water, aim for 70%
+ water cleaned extensively
+ fast
+ predicatable supply
+ some ran on renewable energy
- brings fish in and can’t get back out
- lots of energy needed to power
- salt put back into sea impacting ecosystems
Where do some places use soft engineering?
Saudi Arabia- receives food from other countries by investing
Singapore- one water company makes sure water is reused etc.
Israel- improved techniques etc.
What are some specific ways in which israel sustainably manages water?
They use smart irrigation plants, extreme rationing, low flow everything, storage tanks, recycling water, collecting water, drip irrigation and improved treatment techniques.
Around 80% of water is recycled making it the highest sustainable water country in the world
How does Singapore manage water through soft engineering?
Used to have water supplied by malaysia but had holistic view, so managed water through one company (PUB) sustainably through reusing water, desalination, metering water, diversified supply, collect rainwater etc.
How does Singapore manage water through soft engineering?
Used to have water supplied by malaysia but had holistic view, so managed water through one company (PUB) sustainably through reusing water, desalination, metering water, diversified supply, collect rainwater etc.
How does Saudi Arabia manage water?
They used to use fossil water for farming and even exported things like wheat but now invests in land and money in fertile countries meaning they grow foods for them instead of depleting the store further.
What is integrated drainage basin management?
Comprehensive approach to manage water resources, using aquifers, lakes etc.
What are water sharing treaties and frameworks?
Legal agreements that govern how countries cooperate to share water
What’s an example of a river being shared?
E.g. Colardo river
- Mexico takes 10%
- california takes 20%
- lower basin states take 50%
- upper basin states take 10%
- conflict should be reduced by agreements
What are the agreements to share the colardo river?
The amount of water available determines how much is supplied, meaning supply could be reduced.
Mexico store some water from the colarado river
