The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity Flashcards
Name the 6 water stores
Ocean Cryosphere Ground water Surface water Soil moisture Atmospheric
Name 3 ocean properties
It is the largest water store (96%)
It’s saline
It has a residence time of 3600years
Name 3 cryosphere properties
It makes up 2% of the worlds water
It is 70% freshwater
It has a residence time of up to 15000 years
Name 3 Ground water properties
It make up 1%o of the worlds water
it is 30% fresh water
It has a residence time of 10000 years
Name 3 properties of surface water
it makes up 0.01% of the worlds water
It is the most used water store
Has a residence time of 2 weeks
It has 1.2 % freshwater
Name 3 properties of soil moisture
It makes up 0.01% of the worlds water
Itis 0.05% fresh
It has a residence time of 2-50 weeks
Name 3 properties of atmospheric water
It makes up 0.001% of the worlds water
It is 0.04% fresh
It has a residence time of 10 days
What is the distribution of the world’s freshwater
70% stored in glaciers and ice caps
30% stored in Ground water
1% stored in surface water
Define Fluxes
The rate of flow between the stores
Define groundwater flow
The slow transfer of percolated water underground through pervious or porous rocks
Define percolation
Gravity causes water to seep through hard rock
Define base flow
the flow of ground water into river channels
Define river discharge
the volume of water passing a certain point over time
Describe in 3 stages how rain is formed
1) air cooled to saturation point with a relative humidity of 100%
2) condensation of nuclei e.g. dust particles condenses vapour upon contact making droplets
3) A temp below dew point
Name the 6 factors which affect the drainage basin
The amount of rain The intensity of the rain The type of precipitation The seasonality of rain The distribution of precipitaion The variability of weather
Define secular variability
Long term change e.g. climate change
Define periodic variability
Annual or monthly change
Define stochastic variability
Random e.g. Thunder storm
Describe convectional rainfall
Hot land Hot air rises Hot air cools as it rises It condenses Forms rain
Describe cyclonic rainfall
Warm air rises over cool air
Warm air cools
it condenses
Forms clouds which release rain
Describe orographic rainfall
Air is forced over a barrier e.g. mountain
Air cools
Air condenses adiabatically
Rain forms
How do longer periods of rainfall affect infiltration rates
Lesser rates of infiltration
How does more antecedent rain affect infiltration rates
Lesser rate of infiltration
How does porous soil affect the rate of infiltration
Quicker rate of infiltration rate
Name 5 physical factors effecting the drainage basin
Climate Vegetation Relief Soils Geology
Name 5 human factors effecting the drainage basin
Water management Urbanisation Climate Change Deforestation Afforestation
What is a drainage basin water budget?
Inputs should equal inputs:
Precipitation=discharge+evapotranspiration +or- changes in storage
What is river regime
A river regime is the annual variation in discharge or flow of a river at a particular point.
Name 6 influences on the river regime
Amount/type of vegetation Geology Temps. Amount/density of precipitation Human activities e.g. water management Size of a river
What is a storm hydrograph
It shows the variation of discharge over a short period of time
Records change in discharge in response to input of discharge
Describe a flashy hydrograph
Steep rising limb
Short lag time
High peak
Describe the conditions for a flashy hydrograph to occur
Impermeable Less porous Steep Straight river Saturated Bare/urbanised
Describe a flat hydrograph
Long lag time
Low peak
Gentle rising limb
Describe the conditions for a flat hydrograph
Permeable more porous Flat ground Several tributaries Dry Vegetated
Define water stress
When each person has less than 1700m^3 of water
Define water scarcity
When each person has less than 1000m^3 of water
Name the 4 reasons for the growing demand for water
Population increase
Energy production
Irrigation of crops
Improved quality of life
What will the increase in population be by 2030?
increase of 3 billion
What proportional of the worlds water is available for consumption
2.5%
What is the proportion of the world that lacks sanitation
2.5%
What is the proportion of the world that lacks safe water
15%
How many people in the world lack safe water
1 billion
How many people lack sanitation
2.3 billion
Describe the proportions of 3 water stores contamination in China
25% coastal zones
75% of lakes
1/3 of rivers
Name 3 facts about China’s water pollution
300 million use polluted water
190 million suffer annually from water related diseases
In the Guandong province, 80% die from cancer due to mining polluting the Hengshi Rivern
What is irrigation
Irrigation is when water applied at controlled intervels to plants when needed
What is grey water
Bath or sink water which can be recycled and used forother purposes e.g toilet water of watering plants
What is MDG
Millennium Development Goals created in 2000 by the UN for 2015 which aimed to provide reliable safe water for the worlds population
To what extent does lack of sanitation contribute to the global “disease burden”
10%
Name 3 hard engineering solutions
Water transfer
Mega Dams
Desalination
Name 3 sustainable water management solutions
Rain water harvesting Laws on pollution Hydroponics (soil free crops) Filtration technology Water metres Recycling Grey Water Sprinkler ban
Describe the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Water Convention
aims to protect and ensure the quantity, quality and sustainable use of transboundary water resources by facilitating cooperation. It provides an intergovernmental platform for the day-to-day development and advancement of transboundary cooperation.
Describe the Helsinki Rules
The Helsinki Rules on the Uses of the Waters of International Rivers is an international guideline regulating how rivers and their connected groundwaters that cross national boundaries may be used
Name 4 areas where water security is a concern
Colorado River: the US uses 90% of water before it reaches Mexico
Nile: Dispute between 11 countries, Egypt has majority of use
Tigris and Euphrates: Iraq and Syria threatened by Turkey’s GAP project
The Areal Sea:Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakstan all in confliect, they are the three biggest users of water
What is virtual water
Water transferred by trading in crops and services that require large amounts of water for their production. By importing tonnes of wheat from water rich area, a water stressed area can save 1000m^3 of water
describe the distribution of water users compared to water output
66% of the global population live in areas where 25% of the worlds rain is distributed
