Case studies Flashcards

Question

how does abstraction of the Ogallala aquifer affect surface level water i.e rivers and streams

Answer 1

Rivers get their water from throughflow and groundwater flow removal of water from groundwater reduces the amount available for rivers and streams on the surface

Answer 2

Land subsidence Land subsidence occurs when water is part of the sub-surface support for the land above when water is taken out of a soil (abstraction) and rock it collapses, compacts and drops

Answer 3

The dam was constructed to regulate the flow of the river which serves the whole of Egypt

Answer 4

the damn prevents the release of all flood water as it only releases water when needed to maximise its utility on irrigated land to irrigate thousands of new hectares

Answer 5

this brought devastating floods to an end as Egypt claimed more than 100,000 acres of desert land for cultivation (growing plants) which made additional crops possible on 800,000 other acres

Answer 6

- Soil waterlogging - water was unable to drain away - Build up of soil salinity - when solvable sought to retained in the Earth this reduces growth preventing plant reproduction ions are toxic to plants so as concentration Rises the plants die cause in a rising the water table - the waters in Lake NASA have threatened the health of people using or residing near the Nile. downstream the damn promotes the presence of parasitic diseases - nearby aquifers are flooded by increased amounts of water due to year-on rather than seasonal irrigation

Answer 7

Warm water evaporation Rain ( due to LP (low pressure))

Answer 8

Less rain (due to HP (high pressure)) Dry Impact = droughts fires

Answer 9

LP = lots of flooding due to increased rain

Answer 10

Cold water No rain (HP) Upwelling Nutrients from deep ocean attracting fish and boosting fishing industry

Answer 11

Too much warm water Lots of rain (LP) Impacts = flooding Decline in fishing industry as no upwelling for fish to migrate for nutrients

Answer 12

HP = little rain → drought Lots of upwelling fishing industry will do well

Answer 13

thinning forests lower PPT

Answer 14

Reduced soil water storage Reduced evapotranspiration Changing weather patterns lower ppt

Answer 15

FALSE it is thought it is beyond the tipping point

Answer 16

TRUE The combined risk of climate change, el nino and deforestation will lead to drought occurring more frequently

Answer 17

false they not prepared at ALL

Answer 18

UK is poorly prepared for future of climate change impacts Disrupt trade and military intervention overseas Predicted heat waves of 48 degrees in london, high 30s across the nation Critical facilities at risk e.g hospitals, care homes → not designed to prevent overheating, built in flood prone areas New disease and pests invade UK as climate rises Benefits of CC: increased exports of goods and services such as flood defences, increased tourism, longer growing season ( only if impact on the water supply and soil fertility is overcome)

Answer 19

Benefits of CC: increased exports of goods and services such as flood defences, increased tourism, longer growing season ( only if impact on the water supply and soil fertility is overcome)

Answer 20

The 2 main types of drought based on rainfall criteria Serious deficiency: Rainfall totals within 10% of values record for at least 3 months Severe deficiency: Rainfall totals within lowest 5% of values on record for at least 3 months

Answer 21

FALSE Drought is a recurrent feature within Australia

Answer 22

a severe period of dry weather that affected the country's water supply, agriculture, and ecosystems

Answer 23

Covered a huge area in australia, for several years It is thought to have been associated with longer-term climate change leading to a trend of a warmer, drier climate in southeastern Australia It was assessed as a 1 in 1000 year event as it spread nationwide It affected more than half the farmland, especially in the Murray-Darling Basin (agricultural heartland) → provides 50% of Australia's food supply → impacts: food supply was severely affected as farmers rely on water to irrigate crops Australia has sophisticated water supply systems and schemes however Adelaide became especially vulnerable as it drew 40% of igs water supply form the river Murray which has been extremely over extracted Growing population which has one of the highest water consumption in the world due to extraction for agricultural, industrial and urban usage

Answer 24

1 in 1000 year drought Murray-Darling river system had its lowest ever October flow (month prior to drought) Sydney's largest reservoirs is now 40% full Lowest wheat crop for 12 years, 62% decrease from last year rainfall in east Australia is predicted to fall by 40% by 2070 as well as a 7 degree rise in temperature which increases risk of bushfire

Answer 25

Industrial waste is dumped into rivers - Ganges Heavy metals and chemical waste are particularly toxic can come from mines - NE China Groundwater can be irreversibly damaged by high levels of toxicity, many wells with high concentrations of arsenic – Bangladesh

Answer 26

critical health problems --> 500,000 diarrhoea related infant deaths each year in Asia due to lack of access to safe drinking water water pollution --> level of bacterial waste from human sources is 10x greater than recommended levels overuse - agriculture uses 90% of freshwater withdrawals in South Asia -industrial pollution affects 60% of groundwater supplies across the Indo-Gangetic Basin (undrinkable for 750 million/ cant use groundwater for irrigation) - aquifer depletion in Asia led to a fall in water availibility from 10,000 m^3 per capita (1950s) to less 3700 m^3 in 2010 -Withdrawals in W Asia exceed natural replacement - Billion gallons of raw sewage is dumped into the Ganges each day - 42% of chinas sewage and 45% of its industrial waste is dumped into the Yangtze river each year

Answer 27

- a lack of access to clean drinking water in Eastern Europe and Central Asia - Increasing water consumption with half of european cities over-exploiting their groundwater reserves - declining water quality in countries w/ groundwater pollution e.g Aral sea, Mediterranean, Scandinavian lakes

Answer 28

- aquifer depletion is increasing due to both population and urban growth + expansion of irrigation and industry (e.g cotton farming in Texas) - changes in rainfall in Cali due to EL nino + climate change, led to drought, declining groundwater supplies and falling reservoirs -water pollution from agricultural runoff has contaminated many ground and surface waters

Answer 29

- Its predicted 25 African countries will face either water stress or scarcity by 2025 - 19 of the 25 countries with the lowest access to clean water are in Africa - highest child mortality rates -lack of groundwater protection from agricultural uses - lack of risk preparedness and irrigation - flooding, droughts and storms displace people and cause chronic health issues

Answer 30

- Groundwater contamination and depletion from the increasing release of hazardous wastes from mining, agriculture and industry - poor sanitation - only 2% of the sewage in latin america is treated - Economic scarcity, with conflict over access to and the use of water

Answer 31

Canada’s public sector supply's more water yet their charges are 80% less than Germany

Answer 32

Ireland only began Charging for water in 2012, with there water bills being 75% less than the UK in 2016

Answer 33

Denmark has the world's most expensive water as its government aims to cut its water consumption through high pricing – based on passing on all costs to consumers.

Answer 34

its government is aiming to reduce water consumption through high pricing therefore, costs are passed onto the consumers

Answer 35

the BRIC nations

Answer 36

The aral sea

Answer 37

The Aral Sea was once one of the four largest lakes in the world covering an area of 68,000 sq km but now it has shrunk to a fraction of its former size Its western and central parts are covered by plains, whilst the eastern part is occupied by large mountain ranges which merge into the Himalayas and collect snow and ice in winter and release this as river flow in the summer.

Answer 38

From the 1930s started to build canals to take water from the rivers supplying water for the aral sea to develop irrigated cotton and rice farming. This led to a successful cotton exporting industry in Uzbekistan (top 5 cotton producers). During the 1960s they added more irrigation canals which meant less water was flowing into the Aral sea leading it to shrink. From 1960 to 1998 the surface area of the sea fell by 60% and its volume by 80%. In 1987 the continued shrinkage of the sea split it into two: the North Aral Sea and the South Aral Sea. In 2003 the South Aral Sea further divided into two, an eastern basin and a western basin. By 2004 the Aral’s surface area was only 17,160 sq km By 2007 the Aral had shrunk even further to 10% of its original size. Part of the South Aral Sea by 2009 had extremely high rates of salinity – The high salinity meant that far fewer fish could live in the sea

Answer 39

The Aral Sea used to support a prosperous fishing industry, employing up to 40,000 people. As the sea shrank the water became even more polluted and saline, and so fewer species of fish could survive. Unemployment quickly became a problem amongst fishermen. People moved away so local shops and services such as hospitals and schools found it harder to survive, some were even forced to close. With the sea bed being it exposed the local climate is now colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. The dried out seabed also contained many chemicals from the pesticides used on cotton as well as sewage residue – this created huge toxic dust storms from local winds. They created high rates of respiratory diseases for the people in the area such as tuberculosis as well as other health issues (anaemia, kidney, eye and liver problems).

Answer 40

China and India China and Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam Egypt and Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda

Answer 41

The Brahmaputra river could be diverted to ease scarcity problems in southern China, but this would then reduce supplies to India.

Answer 42

Chinese dams along the headwaters of the Mekong river threaten downstream nations but some of these have also been damming/taking more water from the river.

Answer 43

The Blue and white Nile Basins supply Egypt with vital water, but 85% of it comes from the countries further upstream, where population growth and increasing demand could threaten Egypts supplies

Answer 44

The Colorado River Basin is facing a water crisis due to climate change, drought, and overallocation of water

Answer 45

FALSE: It's now considered the most controlled river in the world with every drop of its water being fully allocated.

Answer 46

High rates of water removal for irrigation and industry combined with declining natural runoff due to climate change → shortages by mid 21st century this is endangering power generation and water supply.

Answer 47

the states that the river runs through and Mexico

Answer 48

The Colorado River Compact (an agreement among themselves to apportion the waters of a stream or river)

Answer 49

The agreement was based on decades of abnormally high flow, which led to more water being allocated to river users than what actually flows through Colorado.

Answer 50

Major reservoirs have dropped to historic lows in recent years with lake Powell just ⅓ full in 2005.

Answer 51

Rapid development and economic growth further complicate the issue of a secure water supply

Answer 52

over-allocation and drought have placed significant stress on reservoirs and water storage.

Answer 53

Advantage of water control projects is a fresh water supply for growing desert cities such as Phoenix (Central Arizona project) and Las Vegas (Robert Griffith Project). People can enjoy a better standard of living as they use air conditioning because of cheap hydroelectric power available. As well as swimming pools due to water availability. Lake Mead can provide tourism, water sports and fishing Flood control is now possible and the lives of those downstream have improved Modern industry has led to increase in jobs due to hydroelectric power Food is plentiful due to irrigation of farmland

Answer 54

People have been moved off land due to flooding Loss of natural burial sites + native american areas due to dam building and floods Disagreement between the USA and Mexico as well as states about water allocation Increasing population has also placed resources under great strain

Answer 55

Many high tech industries have been attracted to these areas in turn bringing well paid jobs Farmers can grow high value citrus crops due to cheap availability of water for irrigation = greater profit Increasing population in cities such as Tucson Arizona = boom in construction industry Tourism is a huge earner e.g Las Vegas Millions attracted to water sports on reservoirs and 700,000 people visit hoover dam each year

Answer 56

Huge cost of construction and maintenance is a financial burden to the states that funded dams Silting of the reservoirs greatly reduces their capacity. This is a huge cost to dredge the reservoirs so capacity can be maintained Loss of silt downstream means farmers have to invest in fertilisers to land that was previously supplied by river deposits to keep it fertile High evaporation rates lead to inc salinity. → HEP turbines have shortened lifespan. As well as yield of crops decreasing as the salinity of the land increases with evapouration bringing salts to the surface. The total cost of salination is estimated at $113 million a year.

Answer 57

New habitats for wildlife have been created - 250 species of birds spotted in lake mead national park HEP is clean electricity from a renewable source and doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect

Answer 58

Salinity increases due to high evaporation with the lakes large surface area combined with the large surface area if the lakes exposed to the hot desert sun Rainbow bridge, an important geological site is being slowly destroyed Increased evaporation rates = lots of water lost every year, Lake Powell loses 0.74 km^3 annually Groundwater has to be used in many areas to top up the river, honouring the Colorado Compact. The use of groundwater is unsustainable Many plants and animals lost as the lakes flooded e.g beavers disappeared from Tucson as rivers dried up

Answer 59

The amount of water in the river is very closely controlled by an agreement called the Colorado Compact. This is an agreement between seven US states and Mexico. US supreme court (1963) decided to allocate a percentage of the available water However, the Compact only stated the quantity of the water, not the quality of the water. Mexico complained that the increased salinity meant the water was almost unusable. After many years, the USA finally spent $300 million building the desalination plant at Yuma. costing over $20 million a year to maintain it will improve the quality of the water reaching Mexico. Some states have increased their water allocation by drawing from groundwater supplies. However this is unsustainable as groundwater levels are dropping and not being replenished.

Answer 60

Mega dams – The Three Gorges Dam in China Transfer projects – The South-North water transfer project in China Desalination plant – Israel

Answer 61

The dam is situated on the Yangtze river, the largest river in Asia and the 3rd largest in the world The Three Gorges Dam is the largest dam in the world and the most expensive hydroelectric power project in the world costing an estimated US$26.5 billion Each turbine has the capacity to produce 50,000 watts making its total combined capacity of the dam, 22.5 gigawatts of power

Answer 62

There are many stakeholders involved in the dam, such as the international export and credit agencies and banks from Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, France and Brazil – which have heavily invested in the project. Chinese government trade credit agencies have loaned the gorges project taking more than 1.4 billion dollars. The China Development Bank has loaned 3.6 billion dollars to the project making itself the primary lender. The stakeholders benefiting from the dam are residents as it creates employment opportunities, it also benefits electrical companies and the Chinese Government.

Answer 63

Those negatively affected by the dam are local residents who have lost their homes and farmland and also those whose businesses and factories were demolished to make way for the reservoir

Answer 64

The dam has replaced the coal power station which would consume 50 million tons of coal a year, this reduces emissions by 150 million tonnes per year. The dam is China's largest renewable energy source, with the dams electricity production accounting for 10% of China's total power supply

Answer 65

200 million people downstream are protected due to the dams flood control e.g Jing Jiang which is a city prone to flooding every 3 years killing 300,000 people in the century prior to the dam being built.

Answer 66

The dam also cuts financial loss created by flood damage. Shipping is now easier and safer due to the dam. It also provided jobs to people to build it as well as to up keep it.

Answer 67

There are serious safety risks of the dam bursting posed by earthquakes, heavy rain and even terrorism. Over 360 million people live within the watershed of the Yangtze River, meaning if the dam bursts millions may get injured or die. There has been a massive increase in the amount of landslides due to the water in the reservoir fluctuating between 146-175m each year – destabilising the slopes and valleys triggering landslides. Over 265 billion gallons of raw sewage is dumped into the Yangtze annually, due to the dam it builds up in the reservoir. E.g Chongqing would flush sewage away into the river impacting wildlife that depend on the river's supply of nutrients. Another Issue is Sedimentation as the fast flowing water nears the dam wall, the flow slows causing the water to deposit silt which can block turbines and cause water level to rise. Several species such as the Chinese river dolphin are threatened and may become extinct.

Answer 68

Also due to widespread corruption and fraud within the local govt the money set aside for people who needed to be resettled failed to reach those, leaving many homeless. The Yangtze river basin was home to nearly 2 million people who were displaced and needed resettlement. The reservoir submerged 13 cities, 140 towns, over 1300 villages, 1500 factories and nearly 100 acres of farmland. 1000 known archaeological sites and many undiscovered ones were also submerged + over 1000 heritage and historical sites were lost forever → leading to a loss in tourism.

Answer 69

It has efficiently and effectively fulfilled its purpose as it provides cleaner energy as well as controlling floods and increasing shipping. However, there are many issues such as landslides, seismic activity → due to the pressure on the ground from the weight of the water in the reservoir pushing down on the plate boundaries causing stress. Social issues include corruption impacting the relocation of residents.

Answer 70

FALSE! Over 70% of Beijing's tap water is channeled from the country’s southern regions. The capital is one of 35 cities that benefit from south-north water transfer project

Answer 71

The aim is to divert 45 billion meters cubed of water a year from the water surplus river basins in the south and east to the north where there is frequent deficit in places such as Beijing and Tianjin

Answer 72

It has reduced the overdrafting of groundwater 3,500 polluting companies have been shut down – good for the environment, by having this transfer they are no longer overconsuming water which is better for the environment

Answer 73

Experiences drop in flow of up to 60% as a result of diversion/transfer River experiences low flow and becomes polluted increasing impact on ecosystem's salinity Climate change can combine with lower flows to lead to water scarcity 435,000 people have been relocated

Answer 74

Availability of water simply leads to greater use Increased use for development, e.g. golf courses, tourism Promotes unsustainable irrigated farming by agri-business Nitrate eutrophication, salination and ecosystem destruction. Pollution transfer. Ultimately the project will be unable to quench the North’s thirst, only until better practises are implemented and wiser usage is in place then their goals will be achieved

Answer 75

water shortages

Answer 76

a combination of conservation, reuse and desalination, the country now has more water than it needs.

Answer 77

political progress for the country in the Middle East, one of the most water-stressed regions in the world. Israel's excess water could be a way of easing tensions within the Middle East as water is often the source of conflict

Answer 78

Desalination is a process where salt is removed from salt water

Answer 79

TRUE Israel is the world leader in water reuse, far outpacing the rest of world including the USA

Answer 80

TRUE any water from water used in bathroom and kitchen (greywater) to black water from sewage is filtered cleaned and reused for irrigation. Even treating wastewater

Answer 81

In 10 years Israel has built 5 desalination plants along its mediterranean coast

Answer 82

400 million dollars

Answer 83

FALSEEEE All being privately owned selling their water to the government.

Answer 84

c. The desalination plants provide Israel with 50% of its drinking water

Answer 85

TRUE The Sorek Desalination Plant situated in Tel Aviv covers 10 hectares

Answer 86

B. uses reverse osmosis to treat 624,000m3 of sea water a day

Answer 87

-The use of energy to produce water is high. It takes around 2 KWh of energy to produce 1m3 of freshwater. This is unsustainable because fossil fuels are running out and we have not yet become totally dependent on renewable energy. - The minerals in the water are chemically different to that of normal freshwater. This could therefore have adverse effects on ecosystems in the future which we do not know about currently. - The by-product of desalination is highly concentrated water known as brine. This is often discharged into the sea. Due to the high salt content this quickly sinks to the bottom of the sea underneath the outlet pipe. The high salt content as a result kills marine plants and life.

Answer 88

- Desalination increases the amount of water in water stressed areas - The freshwater that is produced is suitable for drinking and therefore may help to increase sanitation in poorer areas. This therefore is a contributing factor helping people escape from poverty. - The technology used at present poses no threat to future generations as it is proved to work safely and reliably.

Answer 89

Israel water management Singapores holistic approach

Answer 90

The key to its water security are efforts such as drilling deep wells, massive desalination, reusing treated sewage for farming, finding and fixing leaks early, engineering crops to thrive in onerous conditions, discouraging gardening, making efficient toilets mandatory, and pricing water to discourage waste The state preached water conservation (note the TV ads not to be a pig in the shower) – and then there's the holy grail of Israeli water innovation: drip irrigation.

Answer 91

Drip irrigation technology, saves 25%-75% pumped water

Answer 92

The farmer uses less water, fertilizer and sometimes pesticides. Therefore reducing costs. There is also greater crop yields

Answer 93

The aquifers suffer less chemical pollution as farmers reduce the amount of pesticides used.

Answer 94

The crops yield more (about 15%) and food prices drop, so the consumer is happy.

Answer 95

Singapore has very little natural water resources and have made water management one of its priorities for its 6 million residents

Answer 96

collect all water reuse water desalinate

Answer 97

government educates its citizens on using water carefully and since 2003, domestic water consumption has fallen by 24 litres per person per day

Answer 98

Singapore has cutting edge technology to re-use its grey-water called NEWater

Answer 99

Singapore now has 5 desalination plants meeting up to 25% of demand

Answer 100

Yes to a degree however, despite these impressive actions, Singapore has to import water from Malaysia.

Answer 101

Attitudes to water usage and supply vary. Some social players see the provision of safe water as a human right, whereas politicians see it as a human need which they have to supply. Businesses (economic) will secure their water needs almost regardless of the costs, whereas environmentalists insist that provision should be sustainable.