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Water Flashcards

1
Q

What is the ground water?

A

water is stored in rocks underground.

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2
Q

What is surface water?

A

water is stored in rivers, lakes & reservoirs

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3
Q

What is average daily water use per capita?

A

How much water each person uses on average per day

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4
Q

Why do women in LEDCs spend many hours per day carrying water?

A
  • carry small amounts
  • loads are heavy
  • many don’t have water in homes
  • long way to water sources
  • have to queue to use wells
  • traditional roles of women to collect water
  • nearby supplies are drying up
  • no transport/road
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5
Q

How much has the global demand for water increased?

A

From 1934 to 2014, increased from 1trillion m3 to 4 trillion m3

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6
Q

What are the global uses of water?

A
  • domestic (10%)
  • industrial (20%)
  • agricultural (70%)
  • tourism
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7
Q

What is water used for domestically on a global scale?

A

LEDCs - many don’t have access to piped water so use it sparingly, water may be brought from well/stream
MEDCs - lots of facilities that demand water use e.g. showers, baths, washing machines, swimming pools

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8
Q

What is water used for industrially on a global scale?

A

LEDCs - have smaller scale cottage industries, demand less water in production of items, but as more multinational companies locate here there will be more demand
MEDCs - industries can be on a large scale, so demand lots of water, e.g. steel industry needs a large water supply for manufacturing purposes

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9
Q

What do people need water for agriculturally on a global scale?

A

LEDCs - irrigation channels are prone to losing water through evaporation
MEDCs - irrigation is mechanised, sprinklers or timed irrigation feeds are used, where agriculture is common, lots of water can be released at the touch of a button

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10
Q

How is water used in tourism on a global scale?

A

Tourists often consume far mor water than they do at home, and far more than locals

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11
Q

What is water supply?

A

Provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisation or community endeavours

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12
Q

How does water usage differ between LEDCs and MEDCs?

A

As a country becomes more wealthy, there will be an increase in demand for water.
LEDCs use less water
Higher levels in industrialisation & more domestic goods (e.g. washing machines) all lead to increase in demand for water
With greater wealth, there is more demand for spas, golf courses, baths & showers
In LEDCs water is mainly used for agriculture
Less industry in LEDCs so less demand
People in LEDCs don’t have piped water so are more cautious

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13
Q

What is a reservoir?

A

An artificial lake

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14
Q

What do dams do?

A

Block rivers, creating reservoirs, pipes moves water

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15
Q

Where do dams need to be built?

A

Rural, upland valley areas with impermeable rock, large amounts of precipitation

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16
Q

What are the positives of dams & reservoirs?

A

Hydroelectric power
Jobs in construction

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17
Q

What are the negatives of dams & reservoirs?

A

Habitat loss
Very expensive
People displaced

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18
Q

What are wells & boreholes?

A

Borehole - drilled by machine & relatively small in diameter
Well - large in diameter & often sunk by hand but machinery can be used
Sunk directly down to water table (highest level of underground water)
For many, groundwater is only supply source

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19
Q

What are the positives of wells & boreholes?

A

Cheap
Easy to run
Water is naturally purified by filtration through bedrock
Can exist in arid areas where there is limited surface water e.g. Great Artesian Basin

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20
Q

What are the negatives of wells & boreholes?

A

Needs machinery
Water contaminated
Costs money to extract water through pumps
Limited in quantity
Can’t support large populations/agriculture

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21
Q

What is desalination

A

Turning salt water into freshwater
Widespread use in Middle East
Distill water by boiling
Without natural gas it’s expensive & isn’t appropriate in LEDCs

22
Q

What are the positives of desalination?

A

Huge potential for lots of water
Supply is virtually unlimited (sea water)

23
Q

What are the negatives of desalination?

A

Very expensive
Lots of energy needed (global warming)
You need a coastline

24
Q

What are some methods to supply people with enough safe water?

A

Wells
Boreholes
Desalination plants
Use of water form spring
Bottled water supplies
Water treatment
Rainwater harvesting
Import water
Dams & reservoirs

25
Why are dam building schemes important to the economies of LEDCs?
Project will create employment in construction Provides water for industry Generates hydroelectric power & electricity Encourages economic growth Water will be available for local farmers which will increase crop yield It will reduce damage done by floods Sustainable water supply
26
What is appropriate technology?
Technology suitable to social & economic conditions of the geographic area where it is to be applied, is environmentally sound & promotes self-sufficiency on the part of those using it
27
28
What are the advantages of getting water from rivers, lakes & other natural bodies of water?
Naturally available Easy to access & distribute
29
What are the disadvantages of getting water from rivers, lakes & other natural bodies of water?
In LEDCs these sources can be easily polluted If water isn’t treated can carry diseases e.g. cholera
30
What are the positives of rainwater harvesting?
Pure water Water can be consumed with limited treatment
31
What are the negatives of rainwater harvesting?
Rain is unpredictable Storage of water can be difficult
32
What are the positives of water condensing?
water is pure and does't require treatment technology is cheap and simple
33
What are the negatives of water condensing?
may only provide small quantities of water
34
What is conservation of water?
practice of protecting natural resources (water, woodland, minerals, metals, wildlife etc...) so all living things can benefit from them now & in the future
35
How can water companies, industry and agriculture reduce water loss?
- repair leaks - change irrigation methods to be more efficient - industries should recycle their water (grey water) - water companies can install water metres to encourage people to use less
36
How should people in MEDCs conserve water?
- use dual-flush toilets, requiring less water with every flush - turn off tap while brushing teeth - reuse bathwater to water houseplants/garden - only turn on dishwater when full - have shallower bath - households can harvest rainwater & use it to water garden
37
What is drought?
a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water
38
What is water surplus?
water supply is greater than demand
39
What is water deficit?
water supply is less than demand
40
What factors affect water shortages?
precipitation temp. evaporation rates pollution economic activities population level of development in country rivers
41
How does precipitation affect water shortages?
when an area has less than 500mm of rain per year, there is more chance of water deficit, especially when surface water is main source
42
How do temp. and evaporation rates affect water shortages?
higher the temp. the more rainfall will evaporate before it can be used
43
Why is access to safe water better in some countries than others?
- limited infrastructures - pipelines needed to move water safely, sealed pipes reduce potential for leaks and pollution, some places don't have these pipes, they can be expensive since they need to be buried underground - pollution e.g. gold mining in South Africa
44
What is the relationship between GNP per capita and % of population with access to clean water?
- positive correlation - as wealth increases, % of population with safe clean drinking water increases
45
What are the impacts of water shortages?
- lack of sanitation & spread of water borne diseases (e.g. diarrhoea/cholera), due to contracting diseases people won't be able to work - lack of water to irrigate fields, cause food shortages - families have to travel further to collect water, so children may not be able to go to school - could cause conflicts (e.g. between India & Pakistan over Kashmir) - can be expensive to import water - areas that have water insecurity are unable to operate factories/ manufacturing & make products
46
Why do water shortages cause more problems in LEDCs rather than MEDCs?
- LEDCs more likely to depend on agriculture - subsistence farmers in LEDCs will starve if no food is produced - LEDCs can't afford to import water - people in LEDCs drink polluted water & catch water-borne diseases - LEDCs are less able to transfer water to areas where there are water shortages - LEDCs don't have water storage
47
Why is it important to increase clean drinking water supplies in LEDCs?
- water is essential for survival - death rates would decrease - life expectancy would increase - children can go to school - less time collecting water - less money spent treating diseases - people will be able to improve hygiene - people will be able to work more
48
Why is the social demand for water so high in Saudi Arabia?
there has been a rapid expansion in economy & population since discovery of oil 9 decades ago population is expected to grow from 35million to 40.1million by 2030
49
Why is the economic demand for water so high in Saudi Arabia?
it's an extremely wealthy nation & daily water usage of 1,900 litres per capita (higher than Italy or Australia) due to good quality sanitation, domestic appliances & high levels of tourism (spas & golf courses)
50
Why is the environmental demand for water so high in Saudi Arabia?
- particularly harsh climate - average rainfall is 59mm per year - temp. in summer can be up to 55C - more than 90% is covered in desert - no lakes or rivers - severe water deficit according to UNESCO water scarcity index
51
How is Saudi Arabia overcoming its water deficit?
- supply of desalinated water will deliver 2.18billion m3 per year, Saudi is in top 5 countries of water usage consuming 360l per day on average, Jubail desalination plant is largest in the world - 133 wastewater treatment facilities were built in 2021, an increase of 15% from the previous year, so they can recycle water from domestic & industrial uses, reycled water is good enough quality to drink but is mainly used in agriculture - cloud seeding programme was launched in April 2022 operated by the Saudi National Meteorological Center (NMC), aims to increase water security as a cheaper alternative to desalination plants - they still have water insecurity so importing water is essential to meet the needs of the population, for agricultural, industrial & domestic use

Geography (13 decks)

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