Human Activities Change Processes In The Hydrological Cycle Flashcards
What % of all water falls as precipitation
0.0035%
Is water a renewable resource?
Yes as it constantly recycles each year
What happens if humans release water from store with a long residence time?
Effectively exploring a non-renewable resource
How might humans try to solve problems of inconsistent supply of water
Storing water
Abstracting from aquifers
Abstracting from rivers and lakes
Transferring water from one place to another
Desalinating water
How can global population rise affect demand
Increase in people means more water for drinking food and crop production
How does increased irrigation affect supply
70% of global water supply used in farming particularly in intensive farming which can significantly affect down stream flow and local supply
How does industrialisation affect demand of water
As countries become more developed and turn to industry they often use more water
COCA COLA INDIA
How does increased per-capita use affect supply of water
As countries develop people use more water in their lives
Showering cleaning and leisure
Reducing supply
What 4 human activities affect the hydrological cycle
Agriculture
Deforestation
water abstraction
Urban development
What is water abstraction
Removing water from there natural stores
Some may return to the river some may not resulting in reduced flow downstream
What is an example of an Over exploited rivers?
The ARAL SEA (SYR DARYA AND AMU DARYA RIVERS)
Good example for the impacts of over abstraction and damaging irrigation
What crops were irrigated from the ARAL sea
Cotton
Rice
What is the remaining Aral Sea like?
90% what remains is highly polluted by pesticides and fertiliser
What is an aquifer
A body of rock that is able to hold water
They are both permeable and porous
What is permeability
The ability for water to enter a rock due to the crack or pace spaces it contains
