facts Flashcards

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1
Q

what is the definition of a closed system

A

a system which transfers energy but not matter across its boundary to the surrounding environment

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2
Q

define an open system

A

a system which transfers energy and matter across its boundary to the surrounding environment

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3
Q

what effect does the size of water stores have on the hydrological cycle

A

the larger the store the greater the potential of evaporation to occur thus a greater chance of convectional rainfall

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4
Q

what factors effect the fluxes in the water cycle

A

ground water saturation, evaporation rates (temperature), interception

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5
Q

give 3 human factors which effect the water budget

A

deforestation
abstraction
contamination

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6
Q

what is fossil water and where is it stored usually

A

a fixed amount of water which has been contained in an undisturbed place for millennia. Usually stored underground for example in aquifers

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7
Q

what are the three types of rainfall

A

frontal
orographic
convectional

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8
Q

3 physical factors which effect river discharge

A

vegetation
topography
dam construction

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9
Q

3 human factors which effect water security

A

waste contamination
over abstraction
agriculture

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10
Q

how does climate change effect a drainage basin

A

greater global temperature= raising sea levels, increased rainfall, decreased salinity at the poles

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11
Q

what is meant by residence time

A

the average amount of time in which water is in a given location

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12
Q

what is the water budget

A

a balance of inputs and outputs to a water basin

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13
Q

what is a river regime

A

a river regime outlines the discharge of a basin

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14
Q

why is the water cycle a closed system

A

because there are no external inputs or outputs

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15
Q

state 2 natural things which might affect the water budget

A

1-permeability of soil/rock
2-amount of vegetation

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16
Q

state 2 reasons why the type of soil may affect river regimes

A

1-the absorption of the soil
2-how fertile the soil is and if it can hold the vegetation

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17
Q

state 2 human resources which may affect the water budget

A

1-urbanisation
2-over extraction

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18
Q

state a characteristic of a water budget in a tropical environment

A

1-flash flooding
2-high levels of interception

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19
Q

what does a storm hydrograph show

A

a way of outlining the discharge of a river or water basin, in response to a rainfall event

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20
Q

give 2 reasons why the shape of a storm hydrograph may vary in different areas

A

1-size of the water basin
2-the lag time

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21
Q

state one group of people who a storm hydrograph may be useful to

A

a farmer

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22
Q

state 2 natural causes of drought

A

1-el Niño effect
2-prelonged periods of no rainfall

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23
Q

explain why the el Niño effect can cause drought

A

the el nino affect is a natural phenomena in which causes a change in the climate

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24
Q

state 2 human factors which may cause drought

A

1-over extraction
2-dam construction

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25
Q

explain how drought may negatively affect 2 groups of people

A

1-farmers (reduced crop yield)
2- the public

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26
Q

explain one reason how drought could affect a biome

A

drought may kill vegetation in a biome

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27
Q

how may drought affect the carbon cycle

A

cause drying up of biomes which in turn may kill vegetation and emit carbon

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28
Q

state a group of people who may benefit from a drought or a prolonged period of warm periods

A

some types of biodiversity and an ice cream man/woman

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29
Q

why may a type of rock/soil increase the affects of drought

A

because the rock/soil is very permeable

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30
Q

what is an agricultural impact of drought

A

smaller crop yield, animals die

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31
Q

what is a hydrological drought

A

reduced precipitation and high rates of evaporation

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32
Q

list 3 meteorological causes of flooding

A

flash flooding, intense periods of rainfall, extreme monsoon rainfall and snow melt

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33
Q

list ways in which humans can impact flooding

A

urbanization
speeding up drainage
deforestation
dam construction

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34
Q

how many flood disasters were recorded between 1990 and 2010 by the EM-DAT?

A

3000

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35
Q

how many people have died and how many have been affected as a resultof flooding between 1990 and 2010

A

200,000 and 3 billion

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36
Q

which countries do 50% of flood damage and 90% of flood deaths occur in

A

Asia-China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam

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37
Q

name a social impact of flooding

A

Youths and aged population are venerable
Spread of Water-borne diseases
psychological stress among victims

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38
Q

name a water-borne disease

A

Typhoid
Cholera

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39
Q

name an economic impact of flooding

A

crops and livestock damaged
infrastructure loss
loss of jobs in all sectors

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40
Q

name three storms in the UK and their dates

A

Desmond-5th of december
Eva-24th December 2015
Frank-30th december 2015

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41
Q

name an environmental impact of flooding

A

habitats flooded
spread of water borne diseases
eutrophication

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42
Q

name changed to the hydrological cycle that may occur

A

evapotranspiration rates increase
more unpredictable rainfall
perception rates increase

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43
Q

will glaciers grow or shrink as a result of climate change

A

shrink

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44
Q

what does ENSO cycle stand for

A

the El Niño Southern-oscillation

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45
Q

how will higher latitudes be affected by climate change

A

increased air and ocean temperatures
deepening of the active layer and spring melting comes earlier and more intense

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46
Q

how are lower latitudes affected by climate change

A

increased chances of drought
spreading deserts
shorter growing season

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47
Q

why is sometimes difficult to distinguish the difference between effects of climate change and ENSO

A

teleconnections

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48
Q

name one other oscillation

A

North Atlantic oscillation (NAO)

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49
Q

in what year did the balkan’s receive the worst flooding in 100 years?

A

2010

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50
Q

name three areas in the uk that were heavily affected by the storms of 2007

A

Worcester
Upton upon Severn
Abingdon

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51
Q

name the fastest retreating glacier in the world?

A

Jakobshavn Glacier

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52
Q

define water security

A

the ability to access sufficient quantities of clean water to maintain adequate standards of food and goods production,
proper sanitation and sustainable healthcare

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53
Q

state a physical cause to water insecurity

A

salt water encroachment
climate variability

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54
Q

state a human cause to water i security

A

over abstraction
water contamination

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55
Q

what is meant by salt water encroachment

A

salt water encroachment is the movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers, which can lead to contamination of drinking water sources and other consequences
saltwater intrusion occurs naturally to some degree in most coastal aquifers, owing to the hydraulic connection between groundwater and seawater

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56
Q

define water stress

A

water stress occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use

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57
Q

why is there a growing mismatch between supply and demand or water?

A

demand is always increasing and supply remains constant and more unpredictable flue to climate change

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58
Q

why are finite water resources under increasing demand?

A

rising population
rise in the middle class

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59
Q

why is there a global pattern of water stress

A

increasing population
global warming

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60
Q

what defines a place being under water stress?

A

below 1,700m3 per person

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61
Q

what is meant by water scarcity

A

below 1000m3 per person

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62
Q

why does the price of water vary globally

A

some counties water is scarce and therefore prices are high as supply is low and demand is high and vice versa

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63
Q

what is a cause of global water scarcity

A

climate change such as altered weather patterns, deforestation, increased pollution and wasteful use of water

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64
Q

why is water important for economic development

A

water is important for maintaining agriculture/ used in industries/ water used for energy

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65
Q

state 1 environmental problem caused by an inadequate water supply

A

loss of biodiversity

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66
Q

state 1 economic problem caused by an inadequate water supply

A

higher economic growth-water contamination can result in a lower active workforce

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67
Q

why do conflicts over water occur between users within a country

A

areas with a surplus and areas which are scarce argue over water supply

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68
Q

state a risk associated with water insecurity

A

deaths

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69
Q

how much water is used every day per person

A

80-100 gallons

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70
Q

which country has the poorest quality of water in the world

A

Jordan

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71
Q

which country has the highest quality of water

A

Switzerland

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72
Q

what factors would a large river basin have

A

large surface area
large amount of discharge

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73
Q

what is a water sharing treaty

A

rules and regulation to share the river

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74
Q

what are the most influential stakeholders in a large river basin

A

the largest economic force

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75
Q

why do rivers need to be sustainable

A

to meet the future needs of the population

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76
Q

how should conflict be reduced over a water source

A

through water sharing treaties

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77
Q

give an example of large scale management

A

three gorges dam

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78
Q

what frameworks are there when considering the economic implications of a river

A

water sharing treaties
government

79
Q

what large scale management seemed to fail

A

egypt

80
Q

how do stakeholders benefit from a large river

A

economically
socially

81
Q

describe the characteristics of a large river

A

large amounts of discharge, surface area

82
Q

large scale management of a river, named example

A

three gorges dam

83
Q

who are the economic stakeholders

A

the people in the surrounding area of china

84
Q

what factors would change the discharge in the basin

A

amount of rainfall
size of basin

85
Q

what could influence the lag-time in a large basin

A

urbanisation
speeding up drainage
deforestation
dam construction

86
Q

what ways can reservoirs be used

A

to store water and help

87
Q

what can impact the amount of discharge in a reservoir

A

if water has large surface area can increase the amount of evaporation

88
Q

list three pros of hard engineering techno-fixed in china

A

provides 500 million people with clean water in an area susceptible to drought
diverts 44.8 billion cubic metres of water per year
avoids water shortage and supplies the growing population

89
Q

list three disadvantages of hard engineering techno-fixes in China

A

330,000 people were relocated due to the expansion of the reservoir, The area where water is taken from is not immune to drought and in 2011 the water levels were too low in the reservoir for water to be transported to the North,
Cost $62 billion to build

90
Q

list three reasons why not all countries can use a techno-fix

A

requires a lot of money which some countries cant pay as Chad that is part of the Sahel has a GDP of $9.6 billion which is much less than China’s water transfer project cost
Some countries are land locked such as Chad and Niger and so cannot use techniques such as desalinisation as there is no ocean
Education and technology may not be available to poorer countries

91
Q

list three reasons why China needed a techno-fix

A

Beijing and Northern China is home to over 500 million people, more than the entire population of the USA
The north is under the Hadley cell and air sinking which creates a very dry environment
population is growing 0.5% annually

92
Q

list 3 reasons why a techno-fix was the best solution for China

A

had a lot of money available for an expensive solution with a GDP of 11.2 trillion (second highest in the world)
needed a quick solution
needed to be sustainable as the reservoir is supplied by mountain springs in the south

93
Q

what is the population of China

A

1.379 billion

94
Q

by how much is the population expected to increase by 2050

A

400 million

95
Q

what is the average rainfall in north and south china

A

115cm in North China and 203.2cm in South China

96
Q

how much water does California desalinise

A

50 million gallons of drinking water per day

97
Q

how much did the 8 desalinisation plants cost

A

$34.4 million

98
Q

what date did the UK 2007 floods happen

A

28th July 2007

99
Q

how many deaths were there in the 2007 floods

A

13

100
Q

how many homes and businesses were flooded

A

55,357

101
Q

how many insurance claims were there in the 2007 floods

A

180,000

102
Q

total cost to uk economy for repairs from the 2007 floods

A

£3.2 billion

103
Q

how much per hectare of land flooded did farmers lose in the 2007 floods

A

£1,150

104
Q

how much was the cost of damages for infrastructure in the 2007 floods

A

£660 million

105
Q

how many properties were there without water on the 24th July 2007

A

140,000

106
Q

2007 was the wettest summer since….

A

1766

107
Q

how many properties went without power for 48 hours in the 2007 floods

A

50,000

108
Q

what is the un definition of water scarcity

A

it is the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable drinking water for sustainable livelehoods, human wellbeing and socio-economic development

109
Q

what are the main causes of human water insecurity

A

thermal pollution
over farming
over abstraction
deforestation
over population

110
Q

how much of the worlds population lives in areas that receive less than 25% of global precipitation

A

66%

111
Q

what % of the worlds river systems are impeded by dams

A

60%

112
Q

by 2025 how many people will be living in absolute water insecurity

A

1.8 billion

113
Q

as of 2017 how much water is still left in Lake Mead (Las vegas)

A

40%

114
Q

how much water does it take to irrigate one acre

A

27,154 gallons of water will cover one acre, one inch deep

115
Q

how far away is water being sourced to refill the Edwards Aquifer

A

100 miles away

116
Q

in 2010 how many dams were there worldwide

A

845,000

117
Q

how many acres a second are deforested in the Amazon rainforest

A

2 football fields a second

118
Q

how much water did availability decrease between 1950 and 2005

A

34-76%

119
Q

what is the definition of water insecurity

A

it occurs when the demand of the population exceeds the availability of water sources

120
Q

what % of Earth’s fresh water is fit for human consumption

A

3%

121
Q

how many people experience the problem of water shortages

A

2.7 billion

122
Q

how many people lack access to safe water

A

1 in 9

123
Q

what is salt water encroachment

A

the movement of saline water into fresh water aquifers

124
Q

what does the population growth rate vary between?

A

2.2 and 3.8%

125
Q

what are the 6 main physical causes for water insecurity

A

population growth
food production
climate change and vulnerability
land use
water quality
water demand

126
Q

how much of an increase of agricultural water consumption will we see by 2050?

A

19%

127
Q

how many gallons per day does the average American use compared to how much is needed to sustain a human

A

158 gallons- 12 gallons

128
Q

what is the average precipitation rate in tropical climates

A

no less than 1,680mm and can exceed 10m

129
Q

how many tributaries does the Amazon rainforest have

A

17

130
Q

how much freshwater is expelled from the Amazon River into the atlantic ocean every second

A

around 7,381,000 cubic metres

131
Q

is the soil in tropical rainforests high or low in nutrients

A

low

132
Q

how many sqaure kilometres on either side of the equator did tropical rainforests occupy and how many do they now

A

was 24 million
now 10 million

133
Q

how many degrees latitude are tropical climates normally found at

A

10 north and south of the equator

134
Q

what is the mean monthly temperature in tropical climates

A

18 degrees c minimum

135
Q

what % of the forest floor receives sunlight

A

2%

136
Q

what is the average evapotranspiration rate in tropical climates

A

<0.25

137
Q

over a year, how much does the average temperature vary by

A

2 degrees

138
Q

what is the length and source of the river Nile

A

4,345 miles long and its source is in Rio Mantaro located in Huancayo Peru

139
Q

where is there the least and most discharge in the Amazon

A

in hot months of September to November there is least precipitation and discharge and in cooler months of January to June precipitation peaks with the highest discharge

140
Q

role of geology on the Amazon river

A

its made from sedimentary layers of soft clay and sand deposits
few rocks survive journey from Andes and the soil is thin and lack of nutrients due to erosion

141
Q

what are the inputs and outputs of the Amazons river

A

precipitation of up to 300mm in a year and the outputs are river discharge at 209,000 m3/s

142
Q

what is the climate in Yukon river basin

A

in Peru at source its warm and humid all year with average temperatures of 31 degrees, as you move down stream climate is similar but temperature decreases to 17 degrees.
Near the mouth in Brazil it’s a tropical climate with no defined seasons

143
Q

where is the Yukon river basin and how big is it

A

its located between the Yukon territory in Canada and Alaska over 330,000m2 and 1980 miles in length

144
Q

geology of the yukon river basin

A

its got many types of rocks including igneous and metamorphic
there is also needle leaf forecast, ice shrub lands with permafrost dominating the Yukon river basin

145
Q

what is the hydrology of the Yukon river basin

A

drains from east to the west and the river basin is usually frozen for 8 months out of the year

146
Q

climate in the yukon river basin

A

it varies but precipitation annually is 19 inches a year, with average temperature at 30 degrees in summer and -40 degrees in winter

147
Q

how many people live within the nile basin

A

over 300 million

148
Q

what % of water is abstracted for egypt

A

95%

149
Q

how long is the nile

A

6,700km long

150
Q

in what year was the nile agreement

A

1929

151
Q

for water conflicts to develop what figure does it have to be below

A

1,400 cubic meters per person

152
Q

with the water allocation agreement what countries did it favour

A

Egypt and Sudan

153
Q

the Nile is sourced by how many countries

A

11

154
Q

what are the names of all the Nile states

A

Tanzania
Uganda
Revanda
Burundi
Congo-Kinshasa
Kenya
Ethiopia
Eritrea
South Sudan
Sudan and Egypt

155
Q

what are the two main tributries

A

White nile
blue nile

156
Q

approximately what % of the worlds population live within a drainage basin

A

40%

157
Q

when did decline in precipitation in Australia first set in

A

1970

158
Q

by what % will average rainfall decline by over south west australia later this century

A

40%

159
Q

how much km3 of water is stored in the great artesian basin

A

650 km3

160
Q

by what % has groundwater extraction increased between the early 1980’s and the early 2000’s in australia

A

100%

161
Q

how long did the drought last for in australia

A

over a decade from late 1990’s to 2010

162
Q

how long has the sahel been suffering from drought

A

since 1980

163
Q

what human activities contribute to drought

A

overgrazing
over cultivation
the collection of firewood

164
Q

how many children under 5 in the Sahel are at risk of acute malnutrition due to drought

A

1 million

165
Q

how much was grain production down by in the Sahel

A

36% down on the previous year and 20% lower than the average for the past 5 years

166
Q

how long are growing seasons in the sahell

A

1-2 months per year

167
Q

how many aquifers does singapore have

A

0

168
Q

the demand of water in singapore is expected to ………… in the next 50 years

A

double

169
Q

how much water can be lost from a typical kitchen leak

A

10,000 litres

170
Q

households participating in the water conservation awareness programme save up to what % of water each month

A

5%

171
Q

PUB () encourages businesses in Singapore to cut down on water usage by what %

A

10%

172
Q

why are water prices high in singapore

A

to try and reduce water consumption

173
Q

how are leaks minimised in singapore

A

replacing ageing pipes

174
Q

what has singapores water consumption dropped to since 2003

A

from 165 litres per day to 151 litres per day

175
Q

what does singapore aim to reduce its water consumption to

A

147 litres by 2020 and 140 litres by 2030

176
Q

what do some hotels in signapore do to reduce water consumption

A

encourage guests to re-use linen and towels to save laundry water

177
Q

state 3 ways humans can disrupt the drainage basin cycle

A

deforestation
changing land use
creating new water storage reservoirs or by over abstracting water

178
Q

where is amazonia

A

amazonia is the amazon rainforest located in south america

179
Q

how many sqaure km does the amazon basin cover

A

7,000,000 km sqaured

180
Q

what % of the amazon rainforest is in brazil

A

60%

181
Q

what is the annual rate of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest

A

27,423km2 deforested a year (current of 2004)

182
Q

in august 2017 what did brazilian president Michel Temer implement to promote conservation in the Amazon

A

established an Amazonian nature reserve the size of Denmark

183
Q

between 2000 and 2006 how much forest did Brazil loose

A

150,000 km2 of Amazon rainforest deforested

184
Q

name a manmade dam in brazil

A

Lake Balbina is a manmade reservoir in Brazil created to supply HEP to the city of Manaus in Brazil

185
Q

how much does cattle farming make up the reason for deforestation in the amazon rainforest

A

cattle farming makes up for 60% of deforestation in the Amazon

186
Q

what does the amazon river measure from mouth to source

A

6275km long from source to mouth

187
Q

how many states does the river colorado flow through

A

7

188
Q

how long is the river colorado

A

1450 miles long

189
Q

how many people does the colorado supply water for

A

25 million

190
Q

how much farm land does the colorado supply

A

3.5 million acres

191
Q

how many national parks are along the river colorado

A

11

192
Q

what is the famous dam along the river colorado

A

Hoover Dam built in 1935

193
Q

what does colorado river mean

A

translates to red river die to the red silt within the river