Water Conflict Flashcards
How many dams are there in the Colorado river basin?
14 major dams and hundreds of smallers ones
What did legal acts regarding the Colorado river do?
Allocate more water to the states in the river’s upper and lower basin than now flows throught the river, even in years without drought
Why is there a lack of water in the Colorado river basin?
high rates of removal for irrigation and industry combinded with declining natural runoff
How much of its water does Las Vegas get from the Colorado river?
90%
Why is the Colorado river so important for Las Vegas?
it gets 90% of its water from the river and without it it would be uninhabitable desert
What was in the 1929 Nile agreement between Egypt and the UK?
Granted all water to Egypt and Sudan and giving Egypt veto power over construction projects
When was the Nile Basin Inititave ?
1999
What did the Nile Basin Inititave of 1999 do?
initiated work on a legal framework for governing the river basin
Why is their disagreement over the Nile historically and today?
Disagreement arose from allocation agreements that favoured downstream states such as Egypt and Sudan and more recently due to ambitious dam building programmes that have the potential to reduce downstream flow
Why is the Nile so important to Egypt?
It is the only source of water for the entire population of 80 million people
Why is there a structural scarcity of water in Gaza?
Water supply is controlled and is not equally available to different groups of people. Israelis living in Jewish settlements have no restrictions placed on their water
What is the cost of water in Gaza for Israelis and Palestinians?
$0.10/cubic metre for Israelis, due to subsidies and $1.20 for Palestinians
How is there demand induced water scarcity in Gaza?
Increased demand from a growing population, both Israeli and Palestinian communities have high birth rates
What is the problem with the Gaza strip aquifer?
It is currently being over-pumped in order to meet demand and it is unclear how long this situation can exist
Why is the water in Gaza often polluted?
low quality infrastructure means sewage is not effectivly dealt with, with waste draining into the water supply
