Water Flashcards
What is an aquifer?
A body of permeable rock that can contain groundwater
Why is demand for water increasing?
-changes in consumer demand (new tech that uses more water)
-economic development meaning more water is needed for manufacturing and agriculture
-population increase
How does investment in infrastructure affect the supply of water?
-LICS cannot afford to invest in infrastructure
-this means they don’t have reliable clean water and have to hope the weather is in their favour
-they are forced to drink unclean water
How does location affect water supply?
-if an area is coastal they can desalinate water
-climate of different countries
What factors affect water availability?
-geology
-climate
-pollution of supply
-over-abstraction
-limited infrastructure
-poverty
What are the impacts of water insecurity?
-waterborne disease
-water pollution
-less food production
-less industrial output
-conflict
What are some strategies to increase water supply?
-increasing storage (dams and reservoirs)
-water transfer
-desalination
why is it hard to meet the demand for water in the UK?
-population growth
-increased domestic consumption
-industrial use
-agriculture
What are the challenges surrounding managing the supply of water in the UK?
-lack of rainfall in the south-east
-poorly maintained infrastructures (leaks)
-pressure on groundwater
Why is managing water quality a challenge in the UK
-water pollution
-runoff from fertilisers/chemicals
What is an example of a water transfer in the UK?
-keilder water
-transfers water from the keilder reservior on the river Tyne to the river tees
-Sunderland to Middlesborough
What are the social advantages and disadvantages of keilder water?
-helps people who have less water carry out daily tasks more efficiently (cooking)
-agriculture will be better and people will have more food
-hygiene improved and more hydrated so better at work/school
-building it could disrupt people’s lives
-peoples land could be lost
-money spent on this could prevent money being spent on social services
What are the economic advantages and disadvantages of keilder water?
-creates jobs
-more people can access water so water bills decrease
-costs at least 100 million pounds
-non permanent jobs
What are the environmental advantages and disadvantages of keilder water?
-reduces flooding in the North
-more water sources in the South for animals
-water flowing down the highlands provides hydroelectric through dams = energy created through non fossil fuel means
-disrupting habitats in order to build the pipeline
-fish could be killed by getting caught up in the pipes
What is the difference between physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity?
Physical = hot and dry climate with little rainfall meaning less water
Economic = they don’t have the money to extract the water
What is a positive of dams and reservoirs?
Allows flooding to be controlled on rivers so protects people
what is a negative of a water transfer scheme?
landowners can refuse for it to be built on their land
what is a negative of rainwater harvesting?
it wont be any help in dry climates as theres no water to collect
what is a negative of desalination?
it is the most expensive way for people to get freshwater
what is the definition of water stress?
where supplies of water are less than 1700m3 per person
what is the definition of water scarcity?
where water supplies are less than 1000m3 per person
define over-abstraction?
unsustainable use of wells resulting in ground water supplies such as aquifers drying up before they can be naturally recharged
how is economic development a cause of water scarcity? give an example?
HICs have a high demand for water due to industrial output
the wine industry in Australia is causing the Murray River to be over abstracted
why can waterbourne diseases be caused due to water scarcity?
-run-offs from fertilizers and pesticides
-open sewers can run into rivers in LICS
how long is the great man made river?
6000km
where is the water transported to and from in the great man made river?
water is transported from the the Nubian sandstone Aquifer to Tripoli and Benghazi
how much water does the great man made river provide the people of Tripoli and Benghazi?
6.5 million m3 of water per day
how much did phase one/five of the great man made river cost?
around $14bn
great man made river: what happened to the pipe repair factory in 2011?
it was attacked by NATO warplanes
How would define the south-easts water situation?
Water stress
Define sustainable development
Meeting the needs of the current generation while not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
Give 3 ways that people can conserve water at home
-only put on fully loaded dishwashers/washing machines
-wash car less
-shorter showers/lower pressure shower heads
What is
-clear water
-grey water
-black water
-springs, wells, rain water, purified water
-used water without chemicals or excrement
-contaminated water with toxic chemicals and excrement
Where is Rajasthan located?
Northern India close to the capital of New Delhi
How many of Rajasthan’s 350 wells are overabstracted?
150
How many villages in Rajasthan didn’t have water?
13,500
Why was overabstraction happening in Rajasthan?
-over use of water for irrigation
-the wells are purely controlled by locals so people may take more than they need
What are the two aims of the wakel river basin project?
-increase water supply and storage by using local solutions
-raise awareness in local communities about the need of effective water management
What are taankas?
They are cylindrical rainwater storage tanks made of stone with a lid to stop evaporation and a hatch for collecting the water
How long to taankas take to fill up and how long will that water last for?
-5-6 days during monsoon season
-can store water for 6 months
How deep are taankas and what are their walls painted with?
-9 feet deep
-lime wash to prevent water loss
How does a pat system work?
A small dam (bund) diverts water from a stream towards a field of crops
The bunds are made of wet leaves and rocks
The villagers who use it take turns to maintain the bund
What is a positive of the pat system?
Farmers can irrigate their crops in a controlled way that doesn’t take away from drinking water
What are joheds?
Small earth dams that capture are store water
They recharge the ground water supply and raise the water table
what % of Libya is desert?
90%
List the advantages of the great man made river in Libya?
-6.5 m3 of water every day
-better hygiene and hydration
-better irrigation- reduces dependency on foreign imports
-employment and upskilling of the population
List the advantages of the great man made river in Libya?
-6.5 m3 of water every day
-better hygiene and hydration
-better irrigation- reduces dependency on foreign imports
-employment and upskilling of the population
List the disadvantages of the great man made river in Libya
-phase one/five alone costs $14 billion
-caused conflict with neighbouring
-unsustainable rate of extraction
-CO2 released = concrete pipes
-targeted by NATO war planes in civil war 2011
Why is water important?
-vital for health
-source of potential energy
-crucial for growing crops
What did the UK gov set up surrounding water transfer and when?
-2006
-a water grid to transfer water for surplus areas to deficit areas (enormous cost stopped it from happening)
How does the Environment agency manage water quality in the UK?
-monitor quality of river water
-filtering water to remove sediment
-purifying water by adding chlorine
-imposing regulations on uses of water
Why is global water consumption increasing?
-changes in lifestyle and eating habits
-water needed for irrigation
-all sources of energy require water
-urbanisation
Where is the Keilder Reservoir?
On river Tyne in north east England
What are the benefits of Keilder Reservoir?
-provide drinking water
-flood control
-HEP
-recreation
What is a disadvantages of the Keilder Reservoir?
-displacement of habitat/people
What is the benefit of the Nubian Sandstone aquifer?
Allows populations to thrive in places without surface fresh water
What are the disadvantages of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer?
-aquifer isn’t recharging
-extraction expensive
How loud are wind turbines?
40 decibels
