Water Flashcards

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1
Q

Four uses of water

A

Agriculture (animals + irrigation)

Households (toilets + washing machines + drinking water)

Industry + energy prod. (Manufacturing + cooling process)

Dams (Leaks + evaporation)

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2
Q

Causes for growing demand for water

A

Popualtion growth - More poeple –> more water needed.

Domestic demand - Development = more tech (eg washing machines) –> more water

Agricultural demand - Pop.growth + farming in more arid areas bc of climate change –> more irrigation

Industrial demand - pop. + wealth growth –> more demand for industrial products

Energy production - (Leakage from dams), coal + nuclear plants –> cooling processes –> may pollute it / water evaporates –> removed from local use.

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3
Q

Strategies to increase water supply - Dams + reservoirs

A

Dams block rivers –> creates reservoirs holding water –> large supply year round –> less water insecurity + monitors flooding as river flow can be monitored (also HEP) + (collects rain

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4
Q

Strategies to increase water supply - List

A

Dams + reservoirs

Water transfers

Desalination plants

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5
Q

Strategies to increase water supply - Water transfers

A

Water surplus in one area + shortage in another –> so water transferred.

Canals + pipes transport water to rivers/reservoirs

Used in Las Vegas

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6
Q

Strategies to increase water supply - Desalination plants

A

Removes salt from seawater

(Very expensive + uses a lot of energy)

(Used in California)

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7
Q

Solution to water shortages + pollution (without increasing water supply) - List

A

Irrigation
Reduced leakage (dams + pipes)
Water metering
Constuction of wells
Conservation + education
Stone bunds

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8
Q

Solution to water shortages + pollution - Irrigation

A

Drip irrigation use bc more efficient (wastes less water

Redistributes water to places where its needed.

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9
Q

Solution to water shortages + pollution - Reduced leakage

A

Updating old pipe networks

Stops water from leaking + disappearing from local use.

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10
Q

Solution to water shortages + pollution - Water metering

A

Charging people per unit water used instead of flat fee

–> Reduces wastage bc people don’t want to pay.

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11
Q

Solution to water shortages + pollution - Construction of wells

A

(Done in communities which can’t afford pipes)

Accesses groundwater (aquifiers) –> provides clean water

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12
Q

Solution to water shortages + pollution - Conservation + education

A

Water users educated about methods to reduce water wastage.

Eg. watering lawn at night, showering not bathing, reusing shower water for garden.

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13
Q

Water shortage causes (not causes as to why there’s a growing demand) - List

A

Climate change
Groundwater depletion
Pollution
Political
Mismanagement

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14
Q

Water shortage causes - Climate change

A

Rising sea levels - Threaten coastal freshwater wetlands + risk of sewater entering aquifiers.

Warmer temps - Increase evaporation from rivers / surface stores

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15
Q

Water shortage causes - Groundwater depletion

A

More water being taken out of aquifier than is being recharged.

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16
Q

Water shortage causes - Pollution

A

Agriculture –> fertiliser run-off

Industry –> Metals + chemicals

Sewage

(Go into rivers/ aquifiers)

17
Q

Water shortage causes - Political

A

Rivers run through several coutnries (countries control it, limiting use)

Eg. The Nile

18
Q

Water shortage causes - Mismanagement

A

Water not used sustainably –> shortages (eg. Aral sea)

19
Q

Economic water scarcity

A

Water is available, but inaccessable / unusable (due to a lack of infrastructure)

Eg. groundwater –> expensive to extract

20
Q

Physical water scarcity

A

Not enough water available (eg. low precipitation rates)

21
Q

Water stress

A

When demand for water exceeds the supply of water (drought/shortage)

22
Q

Issues caused by water shortages/ pollution - List

A

Crop failure - Farmer can’t irrigate crops bc of water shortages so they die.

Famine - If crops fail + livestock die –> no food –> people malnourished

Drought - water stress –> drought may occur –> below average supply of water (rainfall)

Conflict - Limited water supply –> conflict between countries + regions over rivers etc.

Eutrophication - Fertiliser runoff –> river –> algae blooms –> decreases oxygen in water –> plants + animals die –> habitat loss

Biodiversity loss - Pollution/Eutrophication –> biodiversity loss (eg in wetlands). Droughts -> animals + plants die bc of thirst/starvation.

23
Q

Boreholes

A

Well that has been drilled into the earth and uses a diesel/hand pump to extract water

24
Q

Playpump

A

Charity to rpovide clean water in Rural Africa

  • Playpump = waterpump connected to an aquifier –> created using borehole drilled down to aquifier.
  • Merry-go-round spins (bc children play) –> kinetic energy –> pumps water up into a large tank (pumps approx. 1400 l water /hour)
  • Affordable tech bc advertising on it, pays for maintenance
25
Q

Global water usage - Eg. Bangladesh vs UK

A

Developed/ emerging countries use more water than developing countries

  • Developing countries (Bangladesh) use most water in agriculture bc its a large part of the economy.
  • Developed coutnries have more water usage for industrial also much higher %

Bangladesh - 2.2% Industry, 10% Domestic, 87.8% Agriculture

UK - 33% Industry, 57.1% Domestic, 9.9% Agriculture

26
Q

Drought

A

Temporary water shortage cause by climatic reasons (lack of rainfall)

27
Q

Water shortage

A

Seasonal, annual or multi-annual water stress condition.

Caused by water stress.

(Droughts are temporary + caused by climate (low rainfall) whereas water shortages are due to human reasons)

28
Q

Tanzania - Impacts of water shortages

A
  • Tanzania –> one of poorest countries in world –> 2/3 of pop. experience water scarcity (infrastructure to transport water not there)
  • Thus women + girls walk to collect water from riverbeds (risk of contamination) + unable to attend schol + women thus can’t have jobs –> less income for families
  • Risk of cholera spreading in water / other water borne disease –> children sick –> no school –> money needed for medicine
  • Communities with water points –> 12% increase school attendance
29
Q

Colorado river - Location

A

Loacted SW USA + N Mexico (states include Wyomin, Nevada + Colorado (where it originates in rocky mountains)

30
Q

Water management schemes in Colorado river

A
  • 14 major dams (eg. Lake mead + Hoover dam)
  • Aqueducts + canals (eg. All American Canal –> California agriculture)
  • Desalination plant in California
31
Q

Why water management schemes at Colorado river is necessary.

A
  • Water for 40 million people + 7 states
  • Water used to produce approx. 15% of USA’s produce/livestock
  • Recreational industries, eg. fishing, camping, hiking etc.
  • Hydro-electric power for electricity
32
Q

Environmental impacts on Colorado river

A
  • River has shrunk/dried up –> habital loss for birds + fish
  • Now the river barely makes it to the Gulf of California
33
Q

Advantages of Colorado river - Water management schemes

A
  • Lake mead –> recreational purposes
  • Provides drinking water for 40 million people
  • Renewable enery
  • Water provided to 7 st
  • Economic benefits (eg. Las Vegas) –> water led to growth of leisure + tourism industry
34
Q

Disadvantages of Colorado river - Water management schemes

A
  • Dams –> loss of settlements + habitats
  • Water stress (usage unsustainable bc too many competing users) –> (conflict)
  • Not enough water to support farming in Mexico
  • Desalination plants = Expensive + uses a lot of energy.