Resource security notes from online lessons Flashcards
What factors effect water supply?
Topography - Long narrow valley -Small surface area- less evaporation
Reliable/High water flow- catchment area
Geology (impermeable)-
Catchment area
Climate - sufficient rainfal
What are the impacts of reservoirs?
Downstream- less sediment to deltas- more coastal erosion, less soil fertility/ecosystems
Micro climates- higher rainfall over reservoir lower ground
Floodland-
Flood control
Stored water supplies/miscellaneous benefits
Sedimentation rescues capacity
Micriclimate
Alters river regime downstream:changes flow; habitat change; landform change
Aquifer:
: area of porous rock saturated with water. Form in sedimentary basins with layers of permeable and impermeable rock, can be confined or unconfin
What are the impacts of over-abstraction?
Subsidence
Sinking of water table: loss of wetland; increasing unreliability of rivers
Salt water intrusion
Drying of soils
Human: impacts on agriculture, pumping costs etc.
What is water surplus:
Areas where there is more than sufficient water available to meet human need
Why is global demand for water rising?
Population increase and economic development
Water security:
capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for: sustaining livelihoods; human well-being and socio-economic development; ensuring protection against waterborne pollution or water-related disasters; preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability
Water stress:
– annual supply of water per person is less than 1,700m3. Demand for water has exceeded the amount of water available or poor quality water has restricted the amount available.
What is Water scarcity and give an example of where this takes places?
Below 1,000m3/per person/year
Northern africa and middle east
What is Absolute water scarcity and give an example of where this takes places?
Below 500m3/per person/year
Northern Africa and middle east
What is physical scarcity and give an example of where this takes places?
More than 75% of river flows being used/natures provisions of water is insufficient to meet populations needs. Less than 500mm of rainfall annually
Northern Africa and middle east and central Asia
What is economic scarcity and give an example of where this takes places?
Human and financial factors limit water use to less than 25% of river flow
Sub saharan african
Southern Asia
South America
What characteristics allow for water surplus?
Low evaporation rates
Infrastructure to meet needs
What are the physical factors that affect water supply?
give an example for each
Climatic:
- Precipitation levels
- Evaporation rates
Geological
- Permeability of rocks
Drainage
- Capacity and size of drainage basin system
What are the human factors that affect water supply?
Demand levels (human activities) Environmental controls (levels of pollution/human activities) Management systems - who sells water
Name some successful transboundary agreements?
Mekong River Commission Jordan River (israel and Jordan) Indus River Commissions 1999 Nile River Basin Agreements 1987 Syria and Turkey agreement
What is water diversion?
Changing the course of the river so it flows to a different area
Why was the water diverted?
Aral Sea
For use in the soviet union
To create cotton farms
What were the environmental impacts in the Aral Sea?
In the desert ½ the water evaporates
Poisonous and deadly chemicals used
The sea has dried up completely
The water left is full of chemicals and salt
Only 4 of of 38 types of fish are left
So much salt in ground- water pipes have to be built above ground.
The whole region is seeing an increase in high temperatures
What were the economic impacts in the Aral Sea?
The local people rely on the cotton for jobs
Local fishermen cannot sell to local factories
What were the human welfare impacts in the Aral Sea?
One village has water for 25 minutes a day Not enough water for villagers No food for villagers Fishing villages no longer by water Docks 50km from the water edge
What were the supply problems in the Aral Sea?
Not enough water to the local people
People with typhoid has gone up 29 x
15,000 people has left the village
Food supplies have gone down
Poor health
83% of children have a illness - chemicals affecting breast milk
More premature baby and more miscarriages
What is water transfer?
Moving water areas of surplus to area of shortage, usually pumped through pipes, channels, canals and aqueducts
What is the South-to-North water transfer project?
Large scale water transfer scheme in china
In the South-to-North water transfer project how much water is transferred and where to?
It transfers 45 billion m3 (44.8) of water per year north from the Yangtze river to the Yellow river and provides water to cities where there isn’t enough e.g. Beijing and Tianjin in the arid north.
How much did the South-to-North water transfer project cost?
Costs $62 billion
What are 3 diversion routes?
Three diversion routes: eastern (2013= Yangtze to Shandong province); central (2014 Danjiangkou on Han river via Henan/Hebei provinces to Beijing) and western (incomplete 2050 Yangtze > NW China)
Why is the South-to-North water transfer project needed?
To resolve water shortages:
To allow for continuing development
- China’s economic growth /industrialisation: has transformed fertile farmland in Southern China into industrial zones
- the drier North has had to grow more food to compensate
- high population density in North China Plain (600 mil) > water deficits; low aquifers/falling water table (approx -1.5m a year)
- Pollution and over-abstraction of major rivers.
What are the environmental impacts of the South-to-North water transfer project
- The land was flooded to create dam and destruction of habitats
- Decreased velocity of river down stream,
- Increases algal blooms
- reduced fresh water flow
- Wetlands around the delta > drier and drylands in the north > wetter affecting the habitats and biodiversity/endemic species
- Reduction in sediment downstream is accelerating coastal erosion
- Droughts in the South
What are the economic impacts of the South-to-North water transfer project
$62 billion
Increased transport on some areas (eastern route) > may counteract water quality improvements
Increased water supply for industrialisation/development
What are the human welfare impacts of the South-to-North water transfer project?
300, 000 people displaced by construction of Danjiangkou dam
Due to cost of project water is expensive > inequality of access
Water storage:
construction of dams and reservoirs storing water in times of surplus for use in times of deficit; regulate river flow; maintain habitats and prevent flooding downstream.
CASE STUDY: The Aswan High Dam and Lake Nasser.
Water catchment:
Collecting water for use (rainwater storage).
CASE STUDY: Bermuda (stepped roof) ; Gansu province China
Desalination:
removal of salt from sea water so that it can be used as a water source.
CASE STUDY: Dubai; Israel ‘The Desalination Master Plan’
Reverse osmosis:
filtration of seawater at high pressure through a partially permeable membrane.
Distillation:
water boiled (heated under high pressure), steam is condensed and collected.
What is the Aswan High Dam project?
The scheme aimed to increase economic production by regulating the annual river flooding and providing storage of water for agriculture and later to generate hydroelectric power.
The HEP capacity of the Dam is 2.1 GW in the 1980’s this was providing half of the counties electricity. This has fallen to 1/10 as the population has grown
What are the environmental impacts of the Aswan High Dam project?
=Down stream, since the dam was built the annual flood has been stopped and these sediments are held back in the reservoir. Farmers have now had to use fertilisers to grow their crops which is more expensive and have created
indirect environmental impacts
=Coastal erosion has accelerated due to lack of sediment. It is severe in Rosetta and Damietta. Attempts to prevent coastal erosion have been largely unsuccessful
=The sediment deposited in the reservoir is lowering the water storage capacity
=Marine productivity in the Mediterranean has decreased because nutrients that used to flow down from the nile are trapped in the dam
=Water levels have changed
=Algal growing has increased the coat of water and causes anaerobic respiration
What are the Economic impacts of the Aswan High Dam project?
100,000 Nubian people had to be resettled in purpose built villages in Sudan and Egypt
The lake created a lot more land for people to farm on.
Created a large fishing industry- 25,000 tonnes per year
What are the Human welfare impacts of the Aswan High Dam project?
Health and diseases such as schistosomiasis live in freshwater and standing standing water. The canals are a breeding ground for snails carrying the parasite (poor sanitation is also a large factor)
The prevalence was more than 40% during the pre-dam period to less than 2% in 2010.
What Domestic use strategies can be put in place to make water use more sustainable?
=Water meters
=People can take showers instead of baths water-efficient shower heads
=The amount of water used to flush the toilet can be reduced
=Modern appliances such as water-efficient washing machines and dishwashers use less water.
=Home-owners and water supply companies can fix leaks to minimize waste.
How are Domestic use strategies effective?
=Small changes (easier to comply) and large cumulative effect
=Can have economic benefits - e.g. water meter to lower water bill
How are Domestic use strategies ineffective?
=Older homes are not fitted with new water meters.
=Voluntary- 57% of uk homes do not have a water meter
=Conflict between domestic strategies and corporate wastage/leakage
=Disincentives vs incentives (Bangalore vs Australia)
Attitudes towards and resultant success of water saving
What Agriculture use strategies can be put in place to make water use more sustainable?
- Farmers can install drip pipes that direct water to exactly where it’s needed, and collect stormwater for irrigation.
- Farmers can also change their practices, e.g. by watering crops early in the morning to reduce water loss through evapotranspiration, or by contour ploughing (ploughing across a slope) to reduce runoff. these charge users for the exact amount of water they use, so they encourage
How are agricultural use strategies effective and ineffective?
=Inequality of access as expensive
=Need to reduce food waste with consumers to fully reduce agricultural water consumption
=More effective to control types of product then water consumption
=Increasing population pressure may increase agricultural usage despite new tech
Coca Cola what happened in 2000?
Hindustan Coca Cola subsidiary granted permission to open a factor in Plachimada
6 months later local villages report increased water pollution and difficulty accessing agricultural water supplies
Coca Cola what happened in 2002?
Protests begin - Anti Coca Cola-peoples struggle committee
Coca Cola what happened in 2003?
Perumatty Panchayat revoke Coca Cola’s license due to ‘ excessive exploitation of the groundwater by the company, environmental problems due to presence of hazardous and toxic substances in wastes emitted by the company, and a scarcity in drinking water’
Coca Cola approaches Kerala high court which sides against the Panchayat
Coca Cola what happened in between 2003-2005?
legal battles continue
Nov 05 - Plachimada declared ‘over-exploited’ preventing further commercial extraction under the Kerala Groundwater Act
Coca Cola what happened in 2006?
- Coca Cola begins to look for new places to locate - not further activity.
What were the environmental impacts of Coca Cola’s operations in Kerala?
=Well’s empty > villages walk longer distances to collect water
=Water tables decreased from approx. 12 >35m below ground level > groundwater quality declines (excess levels of magnesium and calcium)> stomach-aches reported from drinking water
=Irrigation wells dried up > 40% reduction in harvests > economic losses
=Sludge from plants filtering and bottle cleaning process dumped on nearby fields/banks of irrigation canals > water/fields contaminated by high levels of cadmium > those in direct contact with the sludge reported rashes and skin infections; furthermore, the crop was damage
What has Coca Cola done to reduce its impact on water supplies?
=Focused on water sustainability: In 2006, it needs 3.66 litre of water to produce one litre of soft drink and in
=2010, 2.5 litres of water is used for production
=Created rainwater harvesting structures/restoration ponds to replenish used groundwater.
What happened during the Yemen Civil war?
ailure of political transition following the Arab Spring uprising and ousting of authoritarian president Saleh in 2011. New president Hadi struggled to maintain power due to continued loyalty to Salah; seperatist movements and Jihadists. The Houthi movement (originally championed Shia muslim minority but gained many Yemenis support as disillusioned with the transition of power) took control of Northern Yemen and eventually the capital Sanaa forcing Hadi to flee 2015. Iran, Suadi Arabia and eight other mainly SUnni Arab states then retaliated to perceived Shia power - military stalemate continues, IS have also seized territory in the chaos.
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What are the impacts of water shortages?
50% of the population struggle to access clean water
2017 - 1.3 million infected and 2800+ died of cholera (UNICEF)
Wells drilled deeper
Lack of education for girls - fetching water
Old Yemeni ministry figure estimated 4000 killed in violent disputes over land and water a year
how many people do not have access to clean water?
13 million (50%)
How many people are dependant on foreign aid?
15.7 million
how much of the population live in rural areas?
70%
Yemen what happened in 2002?
2002 law requiring landowners to have licenses to drill and maintain wells (concern from farmers that gov. Trying to control their water extraction);
Yemen what happened in 2009?
2009 restriction in Qat cultivation (farmers concerned would lose their main/only source of income and refused limits).
How has water been used in the Yemen civil war?
main/only source of income and refused limits).
Water use as a strategic tactic: both Houthi and Saudi forces have reportedly blocked deliveries of aid; Feb 2016 reports that Saudi planes destroyed a reservoir (water for 30, 000). 2016 Houthis block vital goods flow into Taizz city.
TIGRIS - EUPHRATES
Who shares the transboundary waters? Who controls the headwaters?
Turkey (headwaters), Syria, Iraq (Tigris = Iran)
