The Water Cycle And Water Insecurity Flashcards

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1
Q

Define Cryosphere

A

The global water volume locked up in a frozen state (ice and snow)

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2
Q

What is a desalination plant?

A

Where seawater is converted to freshwater which is suitable for humans to consume

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3
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

The area of land drained by a river and it’s tributaries

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4
Q

Define drought

A

An extended period of deficient rainfall relative to the average of the region

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5
Q

Define economic water scarcity

A

When water resources are available but there is not enough money to buy it

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6
Q

What is the global hydrological cycle?

A

The continuous transfer of water between land, atmosphere and oceans

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7
Q

What is a hydrological drought?

A

Insufficient soil moisture to meet the needs of vegetation

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8
Q

What is interception?

A

When raindrops are prevented from falling directly onto the ground instead they hit tree leaves

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9
Q

What is an open system?

A

A system affected by external flows and inputs

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10
Q

What is physical water scarcity?

A

When there is not enough physical freshwater which can meet demand

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11
Q

Define surface runoff

A

Water flowing over the surface of the ground

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12
Q

Define salinisation

A

Where salt water contaminates freshwater stores or soils which affects human consumption

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13
Q

Define smart irrigation

A

Providing crops with a less than sufficient water supply to make them resistant to water shortages

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14
Q

What is a storm hydrograph?

A

The variation of river discharge over a short period of time

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15
Q

Define transpiration

A

The process of water evaporating through the stomata in plants’ leaves

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16
Q

Define water recycling

A

The purification of waste water to help increase supply

17
Q

Define water scarcity

A

There are limited renewable water resources

18
Q

Define water security

A

The ability to protect and access a sustainable source to meet demand

19
Q

Define watershed

A

The boundary between neighbouring drainage basins

20
Q

What are hydroponics?

A

When crops are grown in greenhouses and are drip fed nutrients and water with no need for soil

21
Q

What are ENSO cycles?

A

El Nino Southern Oscillations - naturally occurring phenomena that involves the movement of warm water in the Equatorial Pacific

22
Q

What is rainwater harvesting?

A

Where rooftops collect water and is stored for various domestic uses such as toilet flush

23
Q

CASE STUDY - The Sahel region (drought)

A
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
24
Q

CASE STUDY - California (drought)

A
USA
Record levels of wildfires 
Climate change caused this
Reservoirs only 77% of normal level
40 million residents affected
25
Q

CASE STUDY - Turkey GAP project ( water security)

A

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

26
Q

Two reasons for water insecurity?

A

Diminishing supply

Rising demand

27
Q

CASE STUDY - Brazil drought

A
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
28
Q

CASE STUDY- Boscastle floods

A

2004
Occurred north of Cornwall, UK
120 saved by helicopter
50 cars washed up in the harbour

29
Q

CASE STUDY - Pakistan floods

A

2010
Affected 20 million
Recovery costs over £1.5 billion
1600 deaths