Thar Desert Flashcards
Challenge: extreme temperatures in Thar desert
In summer over 50.C
Annual rainfall = 100mm
Climate causes high evaporation (water shortages), challenges for outside workers and livestock as little shade.
IMPACT: Plants and animals adapt to the extreme heat (nocturnal)
Challenge: Water supply in Thar desert
Annual rainfall: 100mm
Ponds - tobas (natural) johads (man-made)
Rivers - River Luni (intermittent flow)
Aquifers - salty and poor quality
Irrigation - 650km long Indira Ghandi Canal, allows farming in Jodhpur and with 3500km2 irrigated.
IMPACT: allows farming
Challenge: Accessibility in Thar desert
50 degrees Celsius
Most places only accessible by camel, hot temperatures melt the tarmac on roads and wind blows sand over the roads.
Development opportunities: Mineral extraction in Thar desert
- gypsum for cement
- feldspar for ceramics
- phosphorite for fertilisers
- kaolin for whitening paper
- sanu limestone at Jaisalmer
- marble near Jodhpur
‘Get cement filled carefully w/ poo for Karrie white’
Development opportunities: Energy in Thar desert
- coal - thermal energy plant in giral
- oil - in the barmer district there is a large oil field
- wind - the Jaisalmer wind park
- solar - solar power is used in water treatment in Bhaleri
Development opportunities: Tourism in Thar desert
- 10,000 each year, many from Pakistan
* annual desert festival in Jaisalmer
Development opportunities: Farming in Thar desert
survive by grazing animals on grassy areas and cultivating vegetables and fruit trees.
The construction of the Indira Ghandi canal in 1958 revolutionised farming. It is 650km long and benefits jodhpur and jaisalmer where over 3500km2 of land is under irrigation.
what are the development opportunaties in Thar desert
mineral extraction, farming, energy, tourism
what are the challenges of developing in Thar desert
- what is challenge-> what done -> impact of this
extreme temperatures, water supply, transport
