Energy Water And The Environment Flashcards
Name some facts about the three gorges dam
Built on Yangste River in central China
Largest HEP in the world
101 metres high
Why was the site for the three gorges dam chosen?
Valley floor was wide and low - building easy
Bedrock is firm - good foundation
Few earthquakes near the site
Small island make construction of diversion channel easy during construction
Workers easily moved in
What are the advantages of the three gorges dam?
Tourist attraction Clean renewable energy Reduced flooding downstream Jobs created Water stored behind - drinking, irrigation
What are the disadvantages of the three gorges dam?
Yangste freshwater dam is extinct Sturgeon and alligator threatened Cost $39 billion to build 1.3million people had to be relocated Archaeological sites covered in water Farmland downstream less fertile - less silt
What’s the changes to the river upstream to the three gorges dam?
Reservoir behind the dam
Gradient reduced
Velocity reduced
Evaporation rates increase
What are the changes to the river downstream of the three gorges dam?
Discharge reduced
Less load
Velocity reduced
Name some facts about the Colorado river
2300km South west USA and north west Mexico Source: Ricky mountains 40 million people rely on it for water 29 dams
Describe the Hoover Dam
Completed in 1936
Created lake mead
Describe the Colorado River Aqueduct
389km pipe, tunnels and canals
Takes water from the Colorado river to California
Ends up at LA
1.5km3 pumped through the aqueduct every year
Name some facts about the Central Arizona Project
541km diversion canal
Starts at Lake Havasu and ends at Tucson
Cost $4 billion to build
What are the environmental impacts of the management of the River Colorado?
Used to carry 90million tonnes sediment - now gets trapped behind dams- damages delta ecosystem
Salinity increased - evaporation draws salt out of rocks
Fish shrimps and sea mammals decreased at mouth - less water
What are they doing on the Colorado river to reduce environmental impacts?
Reduced leakage - 25% water is lost Recycling water Sewage treatment Drip irrigation Growing crops that don't need lots of water Groundwater extraction Desalination
What is Tanzania like?
Desperately poor
Life expectancy is 46
Diarrhoea is a big killer
What has water aid done to help Tanzania?
In Chessa new well 24m deep constructed with an Afridev hand pump - 15 families can now drink safe water
Hand pump can be fixed locally - basic - Vincent and Lazaro William are the caretakers
Local radio soap show Pilika Pilika spreads messages of sanitation and water management
Why is the land in Nepal being degraded?
Steep terraced land on mountains is vulnerable to landslides and soil erosion
Heavy monsoon rains
Population growth means more land cleared for crops
Deforestation - 25% removed between 1990 and 2005 - 3% removed per year
70 000 Trekkers arrive each year expecting cooked food and heating which uses fuel wood
What’s it like in the mountain region of Nepal?
Above 3000 m Sparsely populated Cold climate Steep slopes Herding and trading
What’s it like in the forested regions of nepal?
1000-3000 m
Densely populated
Massive terraces for cultivation
Tree removal for farming and fuel wood is causing landslides and soil erosion
What’s it like in the Tarai plains in Nepal?
Flat fertile plains
River flow fed by monsoon rains and melting glaciers
Deforestation commune due to illegal logging and road building
Why do people collect fuel wood in Nepal?
In Tadiya wood is the main source of fuel
Women spend one third of their day collecting it
Sell it at nearby market of Janakpur
Using fuel wood for tourists has increased deforestation and soil erosion by 10%
What are the solutions to Nepals land degradation?
Contour ploughing - prevents rapid run off, loss of soil and development of gullies
HEP schemes (only 10% connected to electricity)
Yak dung for fires and as building material
Restrict tourism and larger fee for heating and cooking
Minimum impact guide for all trekking groups
Environmental education in schools
Reduce use of inorganic pesticides
Use animal manure, green manure and compost (help soil recover)
What is the smog like in China?
200 particles (25 acceptable) in cities
800 at certain times in cities
On average reduces life expectancy by 5 years
What was the smog like in Beijing 2013?
Air pollution 40 times acceptable limits
Causes breathing problem, higher chances of stroke, heart disease and cancer
China burns half the worlds coal
What happened in Harbin 2013?
Schools shut because of the smog
Flights cancelled
Visibility limited to a few metres
