Water Lesson 13: Water Conflicts Flashcards
Between 1948-2008 how many international ‘events’ were there?
2000
% of these events which led to conflict?
% which led to serious war?
25% conflict
1.5% war
Fraction of these conflicts which were over water availability?
2/3
What was often the cause of conflict?
Upstream users had diverted or planned to divert water in a river basin at the expense of lower basin users
What is nimbyism?
‘Not in my back yard’
Example of conflict within a country
Building of a dam and water reservoir in Kielder, Northumberland, where there was concern over the flooding of a farming valley and villages
Biggest example of conflict within a country?
Tanzania
Location of conflict within Tanzania?
Great Ruaha river basin
Economic importance of Ruaha basin?
Water for rice growth
Generation of HEP
Ramsar wetland and wildlife tourism
What has happened to the Ruaha basin?
Ceased flowing in the dry season because water level in the wetland in the upper course drop below a critical level causing issues for lower course users
Concerns over Ruaha basin ceasing flow?
-National power shortages - less HEP
-Desiccation of the National Park with wetland diminishing
-Increased competition for water causing disputes as supplies turned off
Example of trans-national water conflict?
River Nile
Catchment of Nile basin?
3.3 million km2
Fraction of Africa the Nile drains for?
1/10th
In which country does the River Nile start in?
Uganda
How much water is carried in the Blue Nile?
85%
What % of Ethiopia’s population live along the Nile?
95%
In which months of the year does the River Nile flood in Egypt, leaving flood plains well-watered and fertilised?
August and September
What’s the difference between Ethiopia and Egypt and Sudan in terms of the weather?
More rainfall due to the coast
What was the name of the dam that opened in 1902?
Aswan Low Dam
In what year was the Nile Water Agreement signed?
1929
In 1959, another agreement was written, giving Egypt and Sudan rights to what % of the river’s flow?
66% and 22% respectively
What % of Egypt’s freshwater comes from the Nile?
97%
What has happened to the annual water supply per capita in Egypt since 1970?
Halved
Since 2004, Ethiopia’s GDP has grown by how much?
10%
What has this growth been fuelled by?
Infrastructure investment
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will house how large of a hydroelectric power facility?
8th largest in the world
How much electricity will it produce once finished?
16,000 GWh/y
How does the dam benefit Ethiopia?
Provide jobs, provide energy to rural areas, make farming more productive
According to the World Bank, how much money could Ethiopia earn per year as an energy exporter?
$1 billion
The filling of the dam’s reservoir could have an impact on what downstream?
Less water for drinking, agriculture and generating electricity
What have Ethiopia installed around the dam to prepare for potential conflict?
Anti-aircraft batteries (an emplacement for guns designed to specifically target aircraft)
