Geo water Flashcards
What is the cryosphere?
The cryosphere contains the frozen water storage of Earth
How is water stored in the atmosphere?
water vapour
What is the biosphere?
Water is absorbed by plants and stored for growth and development. Additionally, animals may drink water and also store it in them.
Hydrosphere water storage % on Earth?
Hydrosphere storage accounts for 96.5% of all water on earth
Cryosphere storage accounts for … of all water on earth
2%
Atmospheric storage accounts for … of all water on earth
0.001%
Lithosphere storage accounts for … of all water on earth
1.7%
Residence time ocean waters?
3,600 years
Ice caps residence time?
15,000
atmospheric moisture residence time?
10 days
soil moisture residence time?
2-50 weeks
Drainage basin?
Drainage basins refer to the area of land drained by a major river and its tributaries
Confluence?
A confluence occurs when two or more flowing bodies of water join together to form a single channel.
Water budget?
The water budget is the annual balance between precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff.
orographic rainfall?
produced when moist air is lifted as it moves over a mountain range.
Frontal rainfall?
Frontal precipitation results when the leading edge of a warm, moist air mass meets a cool & dry air mass. (Atlantic & Canada)
Convecntional rainfall?
when the energy of the sun heats the surface of the Earth, causing water to evaporate. (tropical areas)
How is infiltration affected?
Cool temps so less evaporation
Soil has to be porous and premeable
Rough texture
Gentle slope / flat
less runoff, more infiltration
Vegetation
More vegetation = more infiltration due to interception which slows precipitation
Roots break up soil, so more porous
How is through fall affected?
porous and permeable soil will have more infiltration so more water in soil to move
Relief, the steeper the more likely it is to happen as it has less time to infiltrate
Vegetation, more infiltration
Interception how is it affected?
Vegetation, if trees capture the water, they slow down the rate of water falling into the soil
Transpiration how is it affected?
Vegetation, if trees capture the water, they slow down the rate of water falling into the soil
Physical factors that affect inputs, outputs & flows?
- climate
- soils
- geology
- relief
- vegetation
How do humans disrupt the drainage basin?
- cloud seeding
- urbanisation
- dams
- ground water abstraction
Amazon rainforest deforestation statistic?
+700,000 km2 an area the size of two Germany’s
How many people have untreated water?
+800 M
How many children die a day because of Diarrhea?
4,000 children
Case Study - South-North China Water Transfer is an example of what type of engineering?
Hard engineering
Case Study - South-North China Water Transfer
- began 2003
- will last 50 years
- cost 100 bn USD
- 1,300km of canals
- links Yagtze & Yellow rivers (+trubutaries)
Case Study - South-North China Water Transfer number of people transferred?
+ 300,000
Case Study - South-North China Water Transfer concerns?
ecological and environmental impact along waterways
Case study: Israel Desalination advantages?
- Reliable & predictable water supply
- Provides 80% of domestic water supplies
- By 2013, 5 plants opened using Mediterranean seawater
- They produce 600 billion litres of drinkable sea water a year
Case study: Israel Desalination disadvantages?
CO2 emissions (but increasingly using solar energy)
Ecosystem damage ( due to quality of waste water dumped)
In what conditions might water schemes be best?
5
- climate
- size of country
- size of pop
- geography (open space vs mountainous)
- cost $
How do “Magic stones work”?
Stone line slows runoff & encorugaes infiltation
Water & nutrients seep into soil
suitable for developing countries
Case study of water conservation in agriculture: “Magic stones” in the Sahel:
- 1/3 of a million hectares of land in Burkina Faso have been reclaimed
- low tech/ unskilled
- sustainable + community cooperation
- inexpensive
- Started 1980s; Still in place
Case study of water conservation by recycling water: “Toilet to Tap” in Singapore
- Singapore only 710 km2 => little water stores or space for collection
- NEWater Recycled using advanced membrane technologies & UV disinfection
- Currently can meet 30% of need, 55% by 2060)
Case study of water conservation by recycling water: “Toilet to Tap” in Singapore pros?
Clean water produced for industry & other water-intensive processes
Waste management
Accelerates the natural filtration process & provides a new water source
Case study of water conservation by recycling water: “Toilet to Tap” in Singapore cons?
Energy intensive
Expensive & technologically-driven process
Public approval may be an issue
Nile Basin Initiative-NBI members:
Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania Burundi, Rwanda
NBI year established?
1999
When did Ethiopia start constructing Grand Renaissance dam?
2011
What is the significance of the Grand Renaissance dam?
threatened Sudans & Egypts water supply destabilising peace in the region
Grand Renaissance dam ending?
2015 agreement achieved between Egypt, Sudan & Ethiopia in cooperating Nile’s management
Colorado River importance?
- supplies water to 8 states
- 50M Americans depend on it
- contains 11 major dams
- Controlling flooding & providing HEP
How much does Pakistan rely on the Indus for drinking water?
80% of water consumed comes from the Indus
How long is the Amazon?
7,000km
how many fresh litres of Amazon water enter the Atlantic every second?
200,000 litres
