Water Flashcards

1
Q

Stores

A

reservoirs where water is held, such as oceans

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2
Q

Fluxes

A

rate of flow between the stores

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3
Q

Processes

A

physical mechanisms that drive the fluxes of water between the stores

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4
Q

Blue water

A

water in freshwater lakes, rivers, wetlands and aquifers

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5
Q

Green water

A

Water stored in soil or that stays on top of it or in vegetation.

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6
Q

Precipitation

A

movement of water from the atmosphere to the ground

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7
Q

residence time of water

A

Average time a water molecule resides in that part of the cycle

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8
Q

fossil water

A

Ancient, deep groundwater from former wetter periods

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9
Q

Transpiration

A

Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant

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10
Q

Groundwater flow

A

Slow transfer of percolated water underground through porous rocks

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11
Q

Which store of water has the shortest residence time?

A

Atmospheric - about 10 days. After that, it turns into precipitation and falls to the Earth.

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12
Q

What kind of cycle is the water cycle?

A

Closed - we drink the same water as dinosaurs

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13
Q

Where is the majority of water?

A

In oceans - 97.5%

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14
Q

Global Water Budget

A

annual balance between precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff. (annual balance between inputs and outputs.)

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15
Q

What does the global water budget do?

A

limits water availability for human use

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16
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

The area of land drained by a river

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17
Q

Interception

A

Precipitation that does not reach the soil as it is intercepted by vegetation and the forest floor.

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18
Q

watershed

A

an area/ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.

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19
Q

Infiltration

A

the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

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20
Q

4 main stores of water

A

oceans, cryosphere, surface runoff, atmosphere

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21
Q

surface runoff/overland flow

A

water that flows over land until it reaches lakes, rivers, or other areas

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22
Q

How much freshwater is stored in the cryosphere?

A

69%

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23
Q

Convectional rainfall

A

formed by rising currents of warm, moist air. common in tropical areas

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24
Q

Cyclonic (frontal) rainfall

A

Warm air forced to rise above cold due to differing densities, then condenses

25
Q

Orographic rainfall

A

produced when a moving moist air mass encounters a mountain range, rises, cools, and releases condensed moisture that falls as rain

26
Q

infiltration capacity

A

the maximum rate at which soil can absorb water

27
Q

factors affecting infiltration rates

A

antecedent conditions, soil texture, slope angle, vegetation cover

28
Q

Percolation

A

downward movement of water through soil and rock due to gravity.

29
Q

Evapotranspiration

A

evaporation from soil plus transpiration from plants.

30
Q

physical factors affecting drainage basin

A

climate, soil, geology, relief, vegetation

31
Q

how does climate affect the drainage basin?

A

influences the type and amount of precipitation overall and the amount of evaporation, as well as vegetation type

32
Q

how does relief affect the drainage basin?

A

altitude can affect precipitation, slope angle can affect surface runoff rates

33
Q

what are the human factors affecting the drainage basin?

A
  • River Management: Reservoirs restrict river flows. Abstraction reduces river flows and lowers water tables
  • Deforestation: = less evapotranspiration, more infiltration
  • Changing land use - agriculture + urbanisation
34
Q

How has deforestation (of over 20%) impacted the DB in Amazonia?

A
  • Less humidity, precipitation, transpiration
  • More surface run off, infiltration, evaporation, soil erosion and silt being fed into rivers.
35
Q

cloud seeding

A

scattering of chemicals such as silver iodide into clouds to bring about rain

36
Q

water budget equation

A

Precipitation (Input) = Channel discharge + evapotranspiration (Output) +/- changes in storage

37
Q

river regime

A

annual variation in the discharge or flow of a river at a particular point, usually measured in cumecs.

38
Q

character of a river’s regime is influenced by…

A

river size, location of measurement, precipitation,
temp, geology + soil, type of vegetation cover

39
Q

What is a storm hydrograph and what does it show?

A

graph showing discharge changes over a short period. Plots the occurrence of a short period of rain over a drainage basin and the subsequent discharge of a river.

40
Q

Storm hydrograph features

A

rising limb, peak discharge ,lag time, falling or recessional limb, base flow.

41
Q

factors affecting shape of storm hydrograph

A
  • Shape: circular - rapid drainage. long, narrow - slower
  • Size: Smaller = shorter lag time.
  • Drainage Density: higher = more flood risk.
  • Rock Type: Impermeable = more rapid increase in discharge
  • Soil and Vegetation: Roots take up water, reducing
  • Relief: Steeper = quicker
42
Q

meteorological drought

A

defined by comparing an area’s current precipitation with the area’s typical precipitation and by analyzing how long the dry period lasts

43
Q

agricultural drought

A

precipitation cannot supply enough moisture to the ground to support an area’s crops

44
Q

hydrological drought

A

Deficiencies in surface and subsurface water supplies that originates from precipitation shortfall

45
Q

Famine drought

A

humanitarian crisis - widespread failure of agricultural systems = food shortages and famines with severe social, economic and environmental impacts.

46
Q

ENSO

A

high pressure accumulates above Australia, = drought like conditions, whilst S. America becomes a low pressure centre, at high risk of flooding and intense rainfall. Every 3-7 yrs, usually for 18 months.

47
Q

Effects of El Nino, Australia, 2006

A

extremely low rainfall.
Caused River Murray to dry up in places, reducing food production, wellbeing and water supply.
Exacerbated by poor human management over water sources.
6 million sheep died as result of the drought
whilst thousands migrated away.

48
Q

Aquifer

A

body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater.

49
Q

meteorological causes of flooding

A
  • intense storms (= flash flooding)
  • prolonged, heavy rain, eg Asian monsoon
  • rapid snowmelt during a particularly warm spring, eg in Siberia.
50
Q

3 socio-economic impacts of flooding

A
  • spread of water borne disease
  • damage to property
  • trauma
51
Q

3 environmental impacts of flooding

A
  • recharged groundwater stores
  • breeding, migration and dispersal (animals)
  • soil replenishment
52
Q

Water stress

A

water availability is less than water demand, either currently or projected for the future (below 1,700 m³ per person)

53
Q

Water scarcity

A

lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region (below 1000m³ per person.)

54
Q

physical causes of water insecurity

A

climate, evaporation + evapotranspiration, discharge into the sea, saltwater encroachment at the coast

55
Q

Human causes of water insecurity

A
  • contamination of water by pollution
  • over-abstraction from rivers, lakes and aquifers and the acute need to replenish these dwindling stores
56
Q

Why is there a growing demand for water?

A
  • population growth
  • economic development
  • rising living standards
57
Q

Physical scarcity

A

more than 75% of a country’s or region’s blue water flows are being used. not enough to meet demands

58
Q

Economic scarcity

A

use of blue water sources is limited by lack of capital, technology and good governance. estimated 1 billion people are restricted from accessing blue water by high levels of poverty.

59
Q

What dominates the use of water?

A

Agriculture; about 3,770 kms of water are withdrawn/yr, over 2x the amount for industrial and domestic purposes.