The Water Cycle And Water Insecurity Flashcards
Define Cryosphere
The global water volume locked up in a frozen state (ice and snow)
What is a desalination plant?
Where seawater is converted to freshwater which is suitable for humans to consume
What is a drainage basin?
The area of land drained by a river and it’s tributaries
Define drought
An extended period of deficient rainfall relative to the average of the region
Define economic water scarcity
When water resources are available but there is not enough money to buy it
What is the global hydrological cycle?
The continuous transfer of water between land, atmosphere and oceans
What is a hydrological drought?
Insufficient soil moisture to meet the needs of vegetation
What is interception?
When raindrops are prevented from falling directly onto the ground instead they hit tree leaves
What is an open system?
A system affected by external flows and inputs
What is physical water scarcity?
When there is not enough physical freshwater which can meet demand
Define surface runoff
Water flowing over the surface of the ground
Define salinisation
Where salt water contaminates freshwater stores or soils which affects human consumption
Define smart irrigation
Providing crops with a less than sufficient water supply to make them resistant to water shortages
What is a storm hydrograph?
The variation of river discharge over a short period of time
Define transpiration
The process of water evaporating through the stomata in plants’ leaves
Define water recycling
The purification of waste water to help increase supply
Define water scarcity
There are limited renewable water resources
Define water security
The ability to protect and access a sustainable source to meet demand
Define watershed
The boundary between neighbouring drainage basins
What are hydroponics?
When crops are grown in greenhouses and are drip fed nutrients and water with no need for soil
What are ENSO cycles?
El Nino Southern Oscillations - naturally occurring phenomena that involves the movement of warm water in the Equatorial Pacific
What is rainwater harvesting?
Where rooftops collect water and is stored for various domestic uses such as toilet flush
CASE STUDY - The Sahel region (drought)
Dried out in the 70s and 80s Region is North Africa 250k starved to death Great green wall project Climate change causing the region to have less droughts and more precipitation
CASE STUDY - California (drought)
USA Record levels of wildfires Climate change caused this Reservoirs only 77% of normal level 40 million residents affected
CASE STUDY - Turkey GAP project ( water security)
Located in Western Asia
Insecure water supply
Aims:
Build 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric power plants
Help the economy grow by 12%
Issues:
Plans have upset neighbours Syria and Iraq because it involves damming the Tigris rivers which cuts off a large proportion of their water supply
Two reasons for water insecurity?
Diminishing supply
Rising demand
CASE STUDY - Brazil drought
South America Winds diverted rain away from Brazil Impacts: Water rationing for 4 million Power cuts Global coffee price up 50% due to a lack of productivity from Brazil More wildfires
CASE STUDY- Boscastle floods
2004
Occurred north of Cornwall, UK
120 saved by helicopter
50 cars washed up in the harbour
CASE STUDY - Pakistan floods
2010
Affected 20 million
Recovery costs over £1.5 billion
1600 deaths
