M19 IBDM

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

Plans which include components:
Water supply, water quality, river channels, and flood control

Increasingly needed as river engineering is becoming more prominent for embankments to reduce the impact of flooding.

Effective at reducing flood risk, poses adverse consequences to the functioning of the river and its associated drainage basin.

Question 2

AGWI

Answer 2

Project aimed at increasing water availability, improving its quality and safeguard is used for future generations.

Six key areas of concern:
1. ecosystems
2. flood control and risk reduction
3. transportation
4. water supply
5. economy
6.recreation.

Question 3

Body 1.1

Answer 3

The threats from flooding increases dramatically when the basin loses its natural capacity and when communities and businesses are located in the floodplain

AGWI attempts to reduce flooding and flood risk.

Increasing risk of flooding in the basin as development on the floodplain is increasing.

Investment in flood control has reduced the losses in the 2011 Mississippi river floods.

Question 4

Body 1.2

Answer 4

The Mississippi is one of the USA’s most important commercial routes.

The river carries most of the country’s farm exports and over 60% of the USA’s grain products for global consumption.

However, many locks and dams are in relatively poor condition due to the lack of investment in infrastructure.

As facilities deteriorate, transportation of goods has longer delays causing carriers to seek alternative transportation or routes.

Question 5

Body 2

Answer 5

Demand for groundwater and surface water increases as the population increases and standards of living improve.

This growing demand, along with an ageing infrastructure increases pressures on water resources.

Water from the basin provides drinking water for millions of people and produces 25% of the nation’s hydroelectric power.

The increasing demand led to supplies becoming less reliable or in some cases contaminated.

Question 6

Body 3

Answer 6

Aims to enrich the quality of life for people and recreation based economies by maintaining and enhancing associated recreation.

Coastal wetlands in Louisiana enjoy a very large biodiversity, provide important storm protection from hurricanes.

The Louisiana wetland accounts for 40% of the US wetlands but 80% of the lost wetlands.

75 km of Louisiana 12,000 km² of wetlands are lost annually.

Construction of dams on the Mississippi river and its tributaries, and raising the levels of levees reduced the amount of sediments that reaches coastal wetlands.