Water Cycle EQ3 Flashcards
What is water security?
Sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptably clean water
What is water stress?
Countries experiences renewable water sources between 1000-1700 metres3 per capita
Declining standards
What is water scarcity?
Countries experience if water sources between 500-1000m3 per capita
Unsatisfied demand, tensions, conflict
What is absolute water scarcity?
Countries experiences of renewable sources are less 500m3 per capita
Widespread restrictions + rationing
What physical factors lead to water insecurity?
Climate variability
Causes of drought- heat waves, high pressure weather systems
Climate change
Warm water- increased bacteria growth
ENSO cycles
What are human factors that can lead to water insecurity?
Pop growth
Industrialisation
Urbanisation
Changing living standards
Tech improvements
Pollution
Conflict
Food consumption
Abstraction of water
Why does the price of water vary globally?
Differences in cost of accessing + transporting water from source to consumer
Cost of infrastructure can vary
Places have tin import water
Gov policies can change pricing
Companies have been privatised
Why is water important for economic development and human well being?
Water stress increased as demand grows
Water use has increased 1% each year since 1980s
Energy, health, hygiene, economic development, agriculture + leisure benefit from water security
What are the internal water conflicts in Spain?
Conflicts over control + privatisation
Drought affects 60% of countryside
Looses 3.5 mill hectares of crop
And prioritise farmers over the environment
What are the conflicts over the Nile Basin?
GERD- 74billm3 capacity
Historical agreement between Egypt + Sudan, altered by Ethiopian for HEPs to cover electricity
Funded by china
What is the conflict over Tigres-Euphrates?
100,000 hospitalised from water related illnesses, doesn’t control source- 81% trans boundary = Iraq
Concentration of pollutants increasing and river discharge decreasing
Used as a weapon against rebels
Low flow rates increasing Droughts
What are the pros of 3 Gorges Dam?
China’s water transfer scheme
Raised dam 15m=49 ft 2.551 in reservoir larger
What are the cons of 3 gorges dam?
1.3mill of people displaced
Reduced supply upstream
Lack of water treatment
Extremely expensive
What are the pros of the south-north water transfer scheme?
Diverts 45bill cubic metres of water each year
Provides water for 20 major cities
100mill people benefited
What are the cons of south north water transfer scheme?
2 out of 3 routes completed
$79 bill in cost
370s squares km land flooded
345,000 displaced
What are the pros of desalination of Israel water management?
55% of demand met
Recycles sewage water- 65% for farming
SMART irrigation developed to reduce demand
Reduces dependency on rainfall
Stop water pumping from Sea Galilee
What are the cons of desalination of Israel?
Number of health problems
Large quantities of salt/chemicals needing to be dumped
High energy consumption
Lack key minerals in the water
How is Singapore sustainable in water supply and consumption?
40% from Malaysia
Consumption fell 165L to 150L a day
5 desalination plants
NEWater- water recycling - 40% supply
Country turned into rainwater catchment + harvesting= reservoirs, canals + wetlands
Scaled pricing scheme to reduce demand
What is the Colorado River Conflict?
Provides drinking water for 50mill
Irrigated 1.4mill hectares of farmland
Demand and reduction in rainfall= sources depleted go 48%
New agreement 2012- minute 319 entitles Mexico greater share of water then Colorado
What are different international agreements to managing water?
UNECE Water convention
EU Framework Directive
Berlin Rules
What is the UNECE Water convention?
Integrates water resource management
Political framework for sharing water across boarders fairly
Initially EU law but applied by UN
Success- DRC + Zambia
Unsuccessful- Tigris-Euphrates
What is the EU framework directive?
Legal framework for ensuring high water quality + sustainable use across borders
Only applies to EU countries but has missed targets
What are the Berlin Rules?
Guidelines from International Law Association promoting fair sharing
And highlights water should not be used as a tool in war
