Water Defecit, Water Insecurity, Water Supplies Sustainability Flashcards
What are the 5 types of drought
meteorological
Hydrological
Agricultural
Ecological
socioeconomic
what is meteorological drought
an extended period of dry weather
What is hydrological drought
Low water supply in our rivers, lakes, aquifers and other reservoirs that often follow meteorological drought
What is agricultural drought
When a water shortage significantly damages or destroys agricultural crops
what is ecological drought
widespread Ecological damage caused by the lack of soil damage
What is socioeconomic drought
when a water shortage affects the supply and demand of drought commodities such as water, food grains and fish
what are the human cause of drought
Climate change
Deforestation
Agricultural
High water demand
How does climate change caused drought
global warming makes extreme weather more likely
it can make places drier by increasing evaporation.
How is deforestation a cause of drought
plants and trees capture and release water into the atmosphere which creates clouds and then rain.
This means that with no plants and trees there is little rain.
How is Agriculture a cause of drought
intensive farming contributes to deforestation in the first instance but can also affect the absorbency of the soil, meaning it dries out quicker.
How is high water demand a cause of drought
demand for water may outweigh the supply of water. High demand in up stream areas means drought in downstream areas.
what are the natural Causes of drought
Chango in ocean temperature
The jet Stream
How is change in ocean temperature a cause of drought
El Niño and La Niña are climate patterns that can cause drought in some parts of the world
El Niño is characterised by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which can lead to drought in the south western United States and southern Africa.
La Niña is characterized by cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which can lead to drought in Australia and Indonesia.
how is the jet stream a cause of drought
a band of strong wind that flows high in the atmosphere. Changes in the jet stream can cause drought as it brings dry air from other parts of the world.
How are people affected by drought
Risk of famine
Increased disease
wildfires
Displacement of people
How does risk of famine affect people
Drought causes crops to fail meaning people no longer have access to food resulting in widespread acute malnutrition disease and death
How does increase in disease affect people
Drought affects access to clean drinking water leading to people drinking contaminated water
How do wildfires affect people
dry conditions can bring wildfires affecting air quality and lung condition
How does displacement of people affect them
may have to travel further to find ean water meaning it can distrust education as they will need to leave home for long periods of time
what are we doing to help with water insecurity
Domestic water is reused - rainwater in the garden
water transfer Schemes - redistributes water around the country to places with little water
Reservoirs - Stores excess water for when it is needed
modern houses - specially built to restrict water usage
What causes the growing mismatch between water supply and demand in some areas of the world
.The growing population outstrips the finite amount of avaliable water
what results from the mismatch between water supply and demand
water stress meaning deterioration of water quality and quantity
How is water insecurity defined
When each person has below 1700m³ of water
what constitutes water scarcity
freshwater shortages that threaten food production and ecosystem wellbeing it is defined as having less than 1000m³ of water per person
What are physical causes of water insecurity
Climate variability
Saltwater encroachment of rivers lakes and groundwater
What are human causes of water insecurity
Over abstraction of rivers lakes and ground water
Water contamination from agriculture
Industrial water pollution
What are some of the issues with water transfer schemes
There is a widespread opposition to them
Wildlife habitats lost - flooding areas for reservoirs, installing large pipes
A rise in tax - due to the cost of implementing such schemes
Pollution - caused from pumping the water
what do you need to consider for water to be managed sustainably
Political
Economic
Social
Environmental
