Rocks, resources and scenery - The london aquifer (case study)

Question 1

what is the London aquifer made from?

Answer 1

chalk sandwiched between impermeable clay

Question 2

where does the layer of rock in the aquifer stretch from and to?

Answer 2

from the North downs to the Chilterns

Question 3

where is the water provided from?

Answer 3

boreholes (wells)

Question 4

how long has the aquifer provided water to London for?

Answer 4

100’s of years

Question 5

when is it a good store of water?

Answer 5

in very dry weather

Question 6

in 2005, how many litres of water per day was taken from the aquifer?

Answer 6

200 million - 10% of London’s needs

Question 7

when was it used by industries when it was unsustainable?

Answer 7

1960’s

Question 8

in the 1960’s what happened to the amount of water?

Answer 8

it dropped to 88m below sea level and the aquifer was contaminated by sea water so was unsuitable for drinking

Question 9

who controls the extraction of water to ensure sustainability?

Answer 9

the environment agency

Question 10

what happens to the water as it passes though the rock into the aquifer?

Answer 10

it is cleaned and filtered

Question 11

what needs to be balanced in order for it to sustainable?

Answer 11

the amount of water taken out of the reservoir with the input from rainfall or the reservoir will dry out

Question 12

by how much has the water table risen by recently?

Answer 12

3m