Water Case Studies Flashcards
Amazon Basin - Brazil
Massive drainage basin in area of high rainfall
Absorbs 2 billion tons of CO2 every year
Equatorial climate zone
Predicted flooding in west, rest at drought risk
Deforestation – Less interception and more soil moisture surplus
Cattle ranching and crop farming
Deforestation can disrupt carbon cycle
Results in drought and desertification
Aquifer depletion
Experienced an abrupt transition from extreme drought to flood during 2010-2012, causing significant loss and damage to the property of thousands of families.
Yukon River- Alaska
Large drainage basin with seasonal variations in discharge
High period: May – September
Precipitation expected to rise: more flooding
2009 severe flooding resulted in 400 people being evacuated
Mining industry is large factor: it digs up silt upstream
HEP is prevalent
Murray Darling- Australia
Midsized drainage basin with late wet period
Subtropical climate with monsoons
Undergoes long periods of drought
Thames Basin- UK
Lies in a massive urban centre
Infrastructure makes it prone to flask flooding (E.g. 2014, 2022)
Huge surface runoff and low vegetation cover
SUDS in place to mitigate risk
Australia- 2006/7
Affected SE Australia – El Nino (Oct – May)
Broken by La Nina
1 in 1000 year drought exacerbated by development
Murray river (agriculture, drinking water) was in fear of going dry
Climate change could reduce rainfall by 15%
Future responses: Storm water recycling, Desalination plants, expanded water trade, improved water retention
Horn of Africa- 2006
5 years no rainfall and 30 year population increase
Agriculture ( Main industry) destroyed
Huge socioeconomic loss
Floods directly after caused more issues
US Drought California- 2006/7
Driest years on record
25% of average rainfall came
15% humidity, 33’C temperatures
ACT Basin
Florida, Georgia, Alabama
Worst drought since 1890s
Water reduced to 16-60%
Lake Lanier (only source of drinkable water) could dry out
Seafood industry threatened
Sahel Region- Africa
Hugely vulnerable to drought with large population
Millions are affected
Agriculture output is reduced
2012 & 2022 big droughts
Lack of food led to famine and income was reduced
Civil war & water wars are common
England- 2007
Heavy rainfall in the Severn Basin led to floods – double the average
Insufficient flood defences
Increased surface runoff due to urbanisation
Oversaturated soil and lack of vegetation
£6m cost
Impacts: Deaths, homelessness and illness; lack of services
Water logged fields stripped soil nutrients
Investment into flood defences
Thames 2014
Wettest winter on record & Storm Tude
4 deaths due to storm and power cuts
Huge rise in groundwater levels: oversaturation
Thames reached its highest point since 1974
Roads and railways blocked
1000+ homes evacuated
£500m cost
£256m invested in drainage channel
Peru-2017
Persistent heavy rain lead to flooding
El Nino
418 dead, 824 injured, 361 missing
Could be as a result of human induced climate change and use of fossil fuel burning
Cumbria 2015
Caused by storm Desmond – Atlantic depression
Huge rainfall in a very short time
5200 homes flooded
61,000 lost power
Road and train disruptions
Bolivia
Failed case of water privatisation leading to protests: 1999-2000
US TNC claimed water privatisation would improve water access through infrastructure
Water accounted for 205 of peoples income
High prices led to local anger
TNC’s left
Aral Sea
Has shrunk to about 20% of its size in 1960
Soviet government irrigation scheme to create agriculture jobs
Huge unemployment caused by dust storms
Massive world bank loans to reverse this
