Water - EQ3 - 5.9 Flashcards
What are hard engineering schemes
artificial structures which increase water supply
what do hard engineering schemes need to be successful
- capital
- technology
- long-term maintenance
Economic stakeholders prefer …………., and environmental stakeholders a ………….
- Economic stakeholders prefer hard-engineered schemes, and environmental stakeholders a more natural and sustainable approach
Give examples of hard engineered schemes
- Water transfer schemes
- Mega dams
- Desalination plants
What are water transfer schemes
- These attempt to make up for water deficits through constructing systems of canals, pipes, and dredging over long distances to transfer water from a drainage basin of surplus supplies to areas of deficit
Explain issues of water transfer schemes
Source area issues - less water
- reduced amounts of water for local consumption which may lead to water poverty
Explain issues of water transfer schemes
Source area issues - ecosystem changes
- ecosystems may be degraded, destroyed, have lower functioning and productivity as a result of the decreased water supplies
Explain issues of water transfer schemes
Source area issues - pollution
- increased pollution due to less opportunity for dilution, so pollutants are more concentrated
Explain issues of water transfer schemes
Receiving area issues - more water
solves existing demand and may lead to increased usage
Explain issues of water transfer schemes
Receiving area issues - development demands
It will contribute to improved human health due to better sanitation, however could lead to patterns of overconsumption
Explain issues of water transfer schemes
Receiving area issues - Agricultural demands
- the increased availability of water means that famers may use it unsustainably e.g. flood irrigation.
- pollution from fertilisers cause eutrophication and salination of water courses, which is then transferred in the water transfer project causing ecosystem degradation elsewhere
China’s south-north water transfer
One of the…
largest water redistribution projects globally
China’s south-north water transfer
What is its aim
- to divert 45bnm³ of water a year from surplus river basins in the south and east to the north where there is frequent water deficits in places such as Beijing and Tianjin
China’s south-north water transfer
Cost?
US$62 billion
China’s south-north water transfer
What is the timeline
- 1952 - planning began
- 2002 - work starts
- 2050 - completion, but possible expansion beyond
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the 3 routes
- Western
- Central
- Eastern
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the Western Route
- started in 2010
- passes through high-altitude terrain
- the route will pass high industrial activity –> fears water will become polluted on transfer,
- as well as reduce the volumes in the Yangtze, causing issues with sediment and the ecosystem
- passes through an earthquake zone
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the central route
- this is a 1267km diversion with some of the water from the Three Gorges Dam being used in order help
- doesn’t reuqire fossil fuel powered pumping stations as all downhill under the influence of gravity
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the Easter route
- 1,155km long diversion from the Yangtze river next to Shanghai to Beijing and Tianjin in the north
- water diverted to Beijing often at expense of lower regions
China’s south-north water transfer
what percentage of chinas waer is in the south
80%
China’s south-north water transfer
….% of china is arable land but it has access to …% of water
40%
8%
China’s south-north water transfer
Who are the main stakeholders
- the government sponsored ‘South to North’ Water Transfer Project Company
- corporate civil engineering companies building 3 major canals, pipelines, tunnels and pumping stations
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the environmental positives
- 500 polluting companies along the river have been shut down
- going to clear 8,000 polluted water ways
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the social positives
- lower unemployment from creation of construction jobs for forseeable future & long-term maintenance
- effective at meeting northern demand
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the negatives environmentally
- dams and canals have affected hydrology
- over 50 years of construction yet demand may change with CC
- pumping stations burn fossil fuels
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the negatives socially
- 330,000 people resettled
- 360 million people still don’t have access to clean water
China’s south-north water transfer
One of the…
largest water redistribution projects globally
China’s south-north water transfer
What is its aim
- to divert 45bnm³ of water a year from surplus river basins in the south and east to the north where there is frequent water deficits in places such as Beijing and Tianjin
China’s south-north water transfer
Cost?
US$62 billion
China’s south-north water transfer
What is the timeline
- 1952 - planning began
- 2002 - work starts
- 2050 - completion, but possible expansion beyond
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the 3 routes
- Western
- Central
- Eastern
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the Western Route
- started in 2010
- passes through high-altitude terrain
- the route will pass high industrial activity –> fears water will become polluted on transfer,
- as well as reduce the volumes in the Yangtze, causing issues with sediment and the ecosystem
- passes through an earthquake zone
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the central route
- this is a 1267km diversion with some of the water from the Three Gorges Dam being used in order help
- doesn’t reuqire fossil fuel powered pumping stations as all downhill under the influence of gravity
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the Easter route
- 1,155km long diversion from the Yangtze river next to Shanghai to Beijing and Tianjin in the north
- water diverted to Beijing often at expense of lower regions
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
China’s south-north water transfer
One of the…
largest water redistribution projects globally
China’s south-north water transfer
What is its aim
- to divert 45bnm³ of water a year from surplus river basins in the south and east to the north where there is frequent water deficits in places such as Beijing and Tianjin
China’s south-north water transfer
Cost?
US$62 billion
China’s south-north water transfer
What is the timeline
- 1952 - planning began
- 2002 - work starts
- 2050 - completion, but possible expansion beyond
China’s south-north water transfer
What are the 3 routes
- Western
- Central
- Eastern
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the Western Route
- started in 2010
- passes through high-altitude terrain
- the route will pass high industrial activity –> fears water will become polluted on transfer,
- as well as reduce the volumes in the Yangtze, causing issues with sediment and the ecosystem
- passes through an earthquake zone
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the central route
- this is a 1267km diversion with some of the water from the Three Gorges Dam being used in order help
- doesn’t reuqire fossil fuel powered pumping stations as all downhill under the influence of gravity
China’s south-north water transfer
Describe the Easter route
- 1,155km long diversion from the Yangtze river next to Shanghai to Beijing and Tianjin in the north
- water diverted to Beijing often at expense of lower regions
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
Dams block…
rivers so that reservoirs of water build up behind, rather than drain away
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
Dams provide….
large, reliable supplies of drinking water and reduces water insecurity, especially in areas of seasonal precipitation
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
what are the other purposes of dams & reservoirs
- can also prevent flooding, as the flow of the river is controlled
- can generate electricity through hydroelectric power (HEP)
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
Nearly ….% of the world’s major rivers have large dams of which the Aswan, Hoover and 3 Gorges are amongst the largest
60%
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
mega dams have immense…
capital costs amongst other drawbacks
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
How do dams affect ecosystems
downstream ecosystems rely on water and sediment, both of which are held back by big dams, making downstream land less fertile
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
What are the social consequences of dams
Dams displace people, communities and destroy cultural heritage
Hard Engineering - Mega Dams
What can be environmental drawbacks of reservoirs
- Flooding of the reservoir submerges land and destroys plants and animals
- Dams reduce water quality and waste water - large surface areas of reservoirs increase rates of evapotranspiration and trap sediment and agricultural runoff, increasing rates of eutrophication and vector diseases
Desalination plants
What do they do
- Extracts the salt from seawater to enable it to be used for drinking and irrigation
Desalination plants
cost?
- Expensive, salt waste can damage marine ecosystems
- and the process uses large amounts of energy
Desalination plants
what would the rising price of freshwater be on this
- some countries will look to the sea for water supplies
- Dubai has already done this, as has Kuwait and Saudi Arabia has 27 plants
Desalination plants
why is it considered a hard engineering technqiue
- Although it is a sustainable process, it is considered a hard engineered process due to the inputs of technology and energy and it has an ecological impact on marine life
- e.g concentrated brine in waste water
What do Sustainable Schemes of Water Management aim to
- Minimise wastage and pollution
- Provide access to safe, potable water at an affordable price to all
- Consider the views of all stakeholders
- Guarantee equitable distribution of water between and within countries
Define sustainable
- a characteristic or state whereby the needs of the present population can be met without compromising the ability if future generations or populations to meet their needs
Explain Sustainable Schemes of Water Supply & Water Conservation
Smart irrigation
- replace traditional irrigation methods of sprinklers and surface flows with automated spray technology and drip irrigation systems
Explain Sustainable Schemes of Water Supply & Water Conservation
Rainwater harvesting
- precipitation is collected from roofs and stored in water butts for repurposing in toilets and watering gardens
Explain Sustainable Schemes of Water Supply & Water Conservation
restoration
- Restoration of damaged lakes, rivers and wetlands to return them to their part in the natural water system
Explain Sustainable Schemes of Water Supply & Water Conservation
filtration
- sophisticated systems are used to remove even the finest particulates from dirty water, rendering it safe to drink again
Explain Sustainable Schemes of Water Supply & Water Conservation
recycle
- grey water is a low cost option for use domestically and in agriculture (irrigation, flushing toilets etc.) not drinking
Explain Sustainable Schemes of Water Supply & Water Conservation
hyrdroponics
- crops are grown in shallow trays that are drip fed nutrients and water, there is no soil involved
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
why does signapore equire sustainable water management
- very little natural water resources
- and have made water management one of its priorities for its 6 million residents
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
What are the 4 key ideas behind Signapore’s water management
- collect all water
- re-use water
- desalinate
- import water from Malaysia
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
Explain the key ideas behind Signapore’s water management - collect
- Collect all water - government educates its citizens on using water carefully and since 2003, domestic water consumption has fallen by 24 litres per person per day
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
How does Signapore collect water
- 17 reservoirs
- highly efficient 8,000km of waterways
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
Explain the key ideas behind Signapore’s water management - resuse
- Singapore has cutting edge technology to re-use its grey-water called NEWater
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
Explain the key ideas behind Signapore’s water management - desalinate
- Singapore now has 5 desalination plants meeting up to 25% of demand
- treatment includes microinfiltration, reverse osomosis, radiative processing
Recycled NEWater in Signapore
What is good about having 4 types of water
- acess us more secure & equitable in dversifying to 4 types
What is Smart Irrigation
- unike traditional, timed irrigation controllers taht run on a preset schedule
- smart irrigatiob controllers monitor soil, weather & plant water to automatically adjust the watering schedule to the actual site
Positives of smart irrigation
- water saved can be repurposed
- gives a better worklife balance as handsfree
- higher crop yields
- less vulnerable to climate variability
Where is smart irrigation being used
- China & Australia
Rainwater harvesting in Uganda
what are its key strengths
- cheap & effective way to create a lasting supply, no matter the season
How does rainwater harvesting in Uganda work
- ‘jars’ are made by covering a wooden mould with mud, letting it dry then covering it in mud
- the mould & mud is then removed & inside of jar is plastere dto make it waterproof
Explain the positives of Rainwater harvesting in Uganda
lining?
- perforated lining stops debris enetring the jar –. more hygienic –> less water borne diseases –> kids can go school
Explain the positives of Rainwater harvesting in Uganda
lockable
lockable box ontop protects water theft –> equitable water access –> security in supply
Explain the positives of Rainwater harvesting in Uganda
what can 1 jar provide
several households with up to 1,500 litres of filtered water
What was first advocated for in the 1990s
IWRN (Integrated Water Resources Management)
What does IWRN (Integrated Water Resources Management) emphasise
- river basin as a logical geographical unit for the management of water resources
What is IWRN (Integrated Water Resources Management) based on
achieving a close cooperation between basin users and players
Using IWRN (Integrated Water Resources Management), how is the river basin treated
- holistically in order to ensure three things:
- Water is used to maximum efficiency
- Equitable distribution
- Conserve the environmental quality of rivers and its catchments
Where does IWRM work best
- IWRM works well at a community level,
- but not so well in larger river basins, especially if a national or international boundary is involved, as is the case with the Colorado River and the Nile
What is intergrated river basin management
- the process of coordinating conservation, management and development of water, land and related resources across sectors within a given river basin,
- in order to maximise the economic and social benefits derived from water resources in an equitable manner
- while preserving and, where necessary, restoring freshwater ecosystems
What is the general consensus around water-sharing treaties & frameworks
- international cooperation is the rule rather than the exception. Over the last 60 years, military conflict has occurred only in a handful of drainage basin disagreements.
- surprising amounts of international cooperation, even between traditional enemies, e.g India and Pakistan who share the Indus.
Explain different water sharing treaties & frameworks
UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
- the convention promotes joint management and conservation of all shared freshwater ecosystems
Explain different water sharing treaties & frameworks
UN Water Courses Convention
- offers guidelines for protection and use of transboundary rivers like the Nile
Explain different water sharing treaties & frameworks
EU Water Framework Directive (2000)
- committed all members to ensure their ‘status’ of water bodies, which included marine waters up to 1 nautical mile offshore
Explain different water sharing treaties & frameworks
Helsinki (1966) and Berlin (2004) Rules
- ensure that all have an ‘equitable use’ and ‘equitable shares’ concept
Explain different water sharing treaties & frameworks
The Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health
- jointly serviced by UNECE and WHO-Europe, it is a unique legally binding framework that aims to protect human health through improved water management and reduction of water-related diseases
- the Protocol provides a practical advice on how to provide the human rights to water and sanitation
impact of climate change on water treaties?
- With the increasing risks of climate change, there is the potential for water wars to be global, despite the degrees of international cooperation at present
- Proper management of current water supplies are crucial and binding international agreements need to be in place for a sustainable water supply for future generations
The …. involved in tensions and conflicts over water can each play a part in reducing the conflict risk, with each having a responsibility to..
- players
- minimise conflict and maximise cooperation
What players are key & how on a global scale for water management
- The UN sets the rules which governments are required to observe
- Non-governmental organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature, have a vital role to play in a ‘neutral’ monitoring of potential conflict situations
- TNCs also key
What players are key & how on a global scale for water management
- Locally, a range of players may be involved, from planners and environmentalists to water companies and water users
