Water Case Studies

Question 1

Aswan Dam

Answer 1

• Largest dam built in the African continent at the time
• Flooding is largely controlled further downstream but this had negative impacts on farming
• Estimated to have lost 10-16 million cubic metres a year, 20% of water volume in Nile

Question 2

Brazil Drought 2014-15

Answer 2

• Brazils Worst drought for 80 years
• Power supplies suspended
• Agriculture in crisis
• Urban taps ran dry in Rio and Sao Paulo
• Causes: high pressure systems blocked this route and diverted low pressure systems elswhere
• Heavy rains occured in Bolivia whilst dry air remained over Brazil

Question 3

Australian Drought

Answer 3

• 2019 was the hottest and driest year recorded for Aus
• El nino lead to reduced atmospheric moisture of eastern indian ocean, turns off one of Aus most important rainfall sources
• Cost the AUS economy over $100bn
• 18 million hectares burnt down

Question 4

Cumbria Floods:

Answer 4

• 341.4mm of rain fell in 24 hours
• 5200 homes flooded
• 61,000 homes lost power
  Human Influences
• Changing land use, Urbanisation, Agriculture
• Mismanging rivers, Raised riverbanks, pumping stations and diversion channels - small hard engineering schemes used in Cumbria
• Small schemes aren’t enough with climate change

Question 5

How is Cumbria dealing with flood risk?

Answer 5

• Mitigating flood risk
• reafforestation of upland areas
• restoration of river channels to their natural meandoring states
• restoration of floodplains to their natural absoravant states ,to store floodwarer
• refusal of planning permission to build or expand developements near river

Question 6

Water Privitisation in Bolivia:

Answer 6

• Prices were raised so much to the extent it cost the urbans poor 20% of their income
• People protested for 4 days and Bolivia’s gov cancelled the contract

Question 7

Turkey, Syria and Iraq

Answer 7

• 2 rivers run through all 3 countries, Tigris and Euphrates
• Turkeys dam construction has reportedly reduced water flows into Iraq and Syria by approx 80%
• 80% of Euphrates and 50% of Tigris water flow originates in Turkey
• Lack of water flow in Iraq have allowed saltwater infilatration into nearly 150km inland

Question 8

Ebro Delta:

Answer 8

• Faces issues because of damns built upstream has stopped sediment from replenishing coast therefore increased coastal erosion
• Locals were protesting about the privitisation of water so water transfer schemes could be created