The Challenge of Resource Management - [Optional] - Water (Paper 2) Flashcards

This is one of the optional topics for 'The Challenge of Resource Management' topic. You have a choice between one of the following: food, water or energy. If you are unsure, ask your class teacher.

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1
Q

What is ‘water security’?

A

Having access to enough clean, safe drinking water that aids well being and economic development

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2
Q

What is meant by water deficit?

A

Supply of water is lower than the demand

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3
Q

What is meant by water surplus

A

Supply of water is higher than demand

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4
Q

Which areas of the world have a water deficit?

A

Drier areas such as Australia, Northern Africa (Sahara) and Southern Africa, The Middle East.

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5
Q

Which areas of the world have a water surplus?

A
  • Typically, equatorial locations such as the Amazon, Brazil.
  • Mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere such as Europe and North America.
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6
Q

What is water security?

A

When a country has a water surplus. They have a higher supply of water than they demand.

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7
Q

What is meant by water insecurity?

A

When a country has a water deficit. Their demand is higher than their supply of water.

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8
Q

What is ‘water stress’?

A

When an area does not have

  1. Access water
  2. Access clean, safe water
  3. The natural flows of water to sustain rivers etc
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9
Q

How is water security linked to well-being?

A
  • Water aids crop production which secures a source of food and income
  • Not having to travel daily for water enables children to go to school
  • Improves the quality of life
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10
Q

Why is water consumption increasing?

A
  • People are becoming wealthier
  • Diets are changing - more variety is demanded which increases water in food production
  • Energy production is changing which now involves higher levels of water
  • Increasing urbanisation increases population demand for water i.e. domestic uses.
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11
Q

Identify the 6 factors that affect water availability

A
  1. Climate - rainfall patterns
  2. Poverty - some places have to share water sources
  3. Poor infrastructure - limited pipes to bring water to communities
  4. Pollution - some water is highly contaminated with industrial pollution
  5. Geology - the rock type in an area dictates how much water is stored underground
  6. Over abstraction - water is removed from the ground quicker than it replenishes which reduces the water table.
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12
Q

List the impacts of water insecurity

A
  1. Waterborne diseases
  2. Water pollution
  3. Lowering food production
  4. Changing industrial output
  5. Conflict
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13
Q

What are waterborne diseases?

A

Diseases that affect people who drink contaminated water. e.g. cholera, dysentery.

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14
Q

How does water insecurity lead to waterborne diseases?

A

Drinking from unsafe water supplies in places that do not have infrastructure e.g. pipes. This increases the likelihood of disease

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15
Q

How does water insecurity lead to lower food productivity?

A

Food production requires water. Agricultural practices suffer if there is not an adequate amount of water to tend to crops. As a result, lower supply increases food prices.

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16
Q

How does water insecurity lead to lower industrial output?

A

Industry requires large amounts of water to be productive. Many factories around the world close in times of water shortage. This reduces productivity and a loss of profits.

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17
Q

How does water insecurity lead to conflict?

A
  • Many people rely on rivers for a supply of water - building dams in a shared river e.g. the Nile, can restrict flow and cause conflict
  • Some industries do not regulate their waste which means water pollution can occur, affecting some communities source of drinking water.
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18
Q

List 4 strategies that can be used to increase water supply?

A
  1. Diverting supplies and increasing storage
  2. Building dams and reservoirs
  3. Water transfers
  4. Desalination
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19
Q

How does diverting supplies and increasing water storage increase water supply?

A

To prevent water lost through evaporation, some water can be diverted and stored underground for times of need.

20
Q

What is a dam?

A

A barrier built in a river used to control the flow of water at any given time

21
Q

What is a reservoir?

A

An artificially made body of water, usually found behind a dam.

22
Q

How do dams and reservoirs increase water supply?

A

Dams can be closed during times of plentiful water, allowing water to be stored and released during times of deficit. This enables sufficient supply of water downstream and prevents loss of water through flooding.

23
Q

What is a ‘water transfer’?

A

Moving water from an area of surplus to an area of deficit through a network of pipes

24
Q

How do water transfer schemes increase water supply?

A

Moving water from one basin to another, shares out water to avoid an area of deficit becoming seriously impacted by a water scarcity.

25
Q

What is desalination?

A

Removing salt from sea water.

26
Q

How does desalination increase water supply?

A

Removing salt from sea water can solve serious water stress by creating freshwater for human use.

27
Q

What are the problems with desalination?

A
  • It is expensive It requires a lot of energy
  • Water has to be transported inland which costs and causes emissions
  • LICs may not be able to afford to do this
28
Q

Briefly describe China’s water transfer scheme

A

It transfer water from the South (which receives more rainfall) to the North (which is drier). It has three planned routes that can channel water each year

29
Q

What are the advantages of China’s water transfer scheme?

A

+ Relieved water shortages in the North

+ More even industrial development as industry can set up in the North

+ It has opened up more potential farmland as there is more available water for irrigation

30
Q

What are the disadvantages of China’s water transfer scheme?

A
  • Constructing the scheme often floods land
  • Water is not equally shared
  • it is very expensive so is therefore used mainly by the urban rich
  • Puts stress on water sources in the South
31
Q

What is ‘sustainability’?

A

Meeting the needs of the current population without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs.

32
Q

Name some strategies used to achieve sustainable water supplies

A
  1. Conserving water
  2. Groundwater management
  3. Recycling water
  4. Using ‘grey’ water
33
Q

What is ‘water conservation’?

A

Reducing the consumption of water.

34
Q

What individual actions can be taken to conserve water?

A
  • Turn off tap when brushing teeth
  • Install dual flush toilets
  • Collect rainwater to water plants
  • Only use a washing machine on full load
35
Q

Identify some strategies that can be used to conserve water

A
  • Fixing leaking pipes
  • Switching from normal irrigation to drip irrigation
  • Using efficient domestic appliances e.g. washing machines
  • Dual flush toilets - use less water to flush
  • Educate people on reducing water use in the home
36
Q

What is ‘groundwater management’?

A

Groundwater is the water that infiltrates into the soil when it rains. Managing this means ensuring that it is free from pollution and not too much is taken.

37
Q

How does groundwater management lead to a sustainable water supply?

A
  • Monitoring water levels to reduce amount extracted
  • Ensuring groundwater does not become polluted
  • Establishing rules and legislation that protects shared water sources
38
Q

How does recycling water lead to a sustainable water supply?

A
  • It reduces energy needed to provide clean water when recycled water is fit for purpose.
  • Saves water being extracted from groundwater stores
39
Q

What is recycled water used for?

A
  • Irrigating crops
  • Industrial use
  • Flushing toilets
40
Q

What is ‘grey’ water?

A

Recycled water that isn’t treated and can be used immediately. It is water from baths, showers and washing machines.

41
Q

What is ‘grey’ water used for?

A
  • Water crops
  • Irrigation
42
Q

How can using grey water lead to a sustainable water supply?

A
  • Cheap to use
  • Easy to access
  • Reduces energy needed to treat water
43
Q

Why does Kenya need to increase its sustainable water supplies?

A

It is a dry country, with limited yearly rainfall. Most water in river evaporates quickly. It is a LIC that requires water for farming It is vulnerable to water stress They struggle to store water for during the dry season

44
Q

What is Kenya doing to increase its sustainable water supplies?

A

Building sand dams

45
Q

Explain how a sand dam works

A
  1. During the dry season, a chunk of river bed is dug up, exposing the bedrock underneath
  2. A stone dam is built, separating the original river bed and the dug out river bed
  3. In the wet season, the river will deposit sediment behind the dam
  4. Finer particles of sand are dropped in the dug out river bed
  5. Water is held within the sand, providing a store of water for the dry season
46
Q

What are the advantages of the sand dam for places like Kenya?

A

+ it provides easily accessible water during a dry season

+ it doesn’t require complex machines to be set up

+ local people are able to fix and maintain the system

+ the dam can be modified to suit the changing water levels