Lecture 7 (Technical)

Question 1

What causes droughts and water shortages?

Answer 1

• Shortage of precipitation
• extensive evaporation
• low volumes of water in river systems
• absence of infrastructure to replenish the shortfall
• poor water quality

Question 2

What are factors that stimulate natural hazards?

Answer 2

• climate change
• population growth
• upstream land use changes

Question 3

Explain a few different types of droughts

Answer 3

Meteorlogical drought: precipitation deficiency

Agricultural drought: availability of soil water to support crops

Hydrological drought: decline of surface and subsurface water supplies.

Question 4

Explain some general impacts of droughts (direct/indirect)

Answer 4

agriculture
inland water transport
drinking water
indsutry
societal
economic
environmental
water quantity affects water quality

Question 5

How do drought conditions impacts social economic and environmental factors?

Answer 5

economic: crop loss, less productivity. Increased costs for food/water

Societal: increased human health risks. reduced incomes. rise in drought-related deaths

Environmental: crop damage, lowered lake levels
soil erosion
reduced flow of rivers and streams.

Question 6

What are the consequences of droughts in NL?

Answer 6

lower laying areas: low river discharges = salinisation

elevated areas: rivers dry up, drying soil and reduced crop yields, local extinction of species, higher risk of wildfire, pools and brooks running dry

clay areas: large shrinkage and expansion between dry and wet periodes

peat areas: oxidation of peat becomes dry. It decays and dissapears, leading to more subsidence.

Question 7

Explain the difference between external and internal salination

Answer 7

external: ingress from the ocean. Salt water from ocean

Internal: immobile marine groundwater mobilised by land reclamation.

Question 8

How can climate change cause salination (verzilting) of groundwater sources?

Answer 8

Higher sea levels, drier soils due to higher temperature, freshwater extraction of groundwater due to insufficient surface water sources.

Question 9

How does climate change and more extreme drought events impact on water quality?

Answer 9

Higher temperature –> droughts and quantitative shortage –> less water to dilute(verdund) pollution –> growth of algae –> more wildfires, loss of vegetation –> run-off.

Question 10

Does ‘the same’ drought have the same impact in different regions?

Answer 10

No: every area is different. Risk asessments should be conducted on a case-by-case basis to develop the most suitable strategy.

Question 11

Since droughts are creeping phenomena, are they best handled as they happen or by permanent long term measures? Explain your answer.

Answer 11

Combination of both is needed: crisis management is needed, but resilience is built through permanent long term measures.

Question 12

OUt of which components does risk exist?

Answer 12

hazard, exposure, vulnerability

Question 13

Tell me the three interrelated themes/agendas to make NL climate resilient out of the National Delta Programme

Answer 13

Delta Plan on Flood Risk Management

Delta Plan on Spatial adaptation

Delta plan on Freshwater Supply

Question 14

What is the main goal of the Dutch Delta Decision?

Answer 14

Netherlands resilience to freshwater shortages

Question 15

Policy in periods of droughts and water shortage: explain the four categories?

Answer 15

cat 1: safety and prevention of irreversible damage to nature

cat 2: Utilities/amenities
cat 3: Small-scale high quality use
cat 4: Miscleannelous uses or functions

Question 16

Overall idea/objectives of the Freshwater Delta Plan?

Answer 16

Measures to be implemented. 6 year phases, each with its own Delta decisions and preferred strategies.

• national drought policy and preparedness plans
• Focuses on prevention rather than recovery. Long term water management.
• Collabs between national government, provincial and municipal authorities.