Water Management Flashcards
Water surplus
When water supply is greater than demand
Water deficit
When water demand is greater than the supply
Water security
Having a reliable source of water available- good quality and quantity
Water insecurity
Not enough water to maintain good health/ livelihood due to short supply or poor quality
Water stress
When the demand for water exceeds supply, or when poor quality restricts its use
Why is water consumption increasing
- Global demand for food expected to rise by 70%
- Increase in population
- Global warming so less rainfall
- Increase in temperature means people need to water plants and crops more
- Urbanisation- more drains needed
- All energy sources need water
- Changing lifestyles
Factors affecting water availability
Climate, Geology, Poverty, over abstraction, pollution, limited infrastructure
What do water transfer schemes aim to do
They aim to redistribute water from areas of water surplus to areas of water deficit
How do dams and reservoirs help
Rainfall can be stored and collected in reservoirs. During dry periods it can be released slowly using the dam. They help prevent flooding and can be used to make hydro electric power
What is Desalination
The process of removing salt from seawater to produce fresh, usable water that is safe for human use
What is an example of a large scale water transfer scheme
Lesotho Highland Water Project (LHWP)
Where is Lesotho
It’s is a highland country in Southern Africa and is surrounded by the country South Africa
Why dies Lesotho have a water surplus
The maintains receive high rainfall and the demand for water is low
Which country benefits form the Lesotho Highland Water Project
It has been built with the aim to help South Africa with their water shortage
What percentage of Lesotho’s GDP will the project provide
75%
What percentage will the water supply reach in Lesotho’s capital, Maseru
90%
What will sanitation coverage increase to in Lesotho
Will increase from 15 to 20%
What does the LHWP provide Lesotho with
It supplies the country with all its hydro electric power requirements
What are the social advantages to the LHWP
- Income from the scheme helps development and to improve standard of living
- Improvements to transport infrastructure with access roads built to the construction sites
How many people had to move away from their land in Lesotho due to the LHWP
Building the first two dams meant 30,000 people had to move
Disadvantages for Lesotho due to the LHWP
- Destruction of a unique wetland ecosystem due to control of regular flooding downstream of the dams
- Corruption has prevented money and investments reaching those affected by the construction
- Construction of the Polihali Dam will displace 17 villages and reduce agricultural land for 71 villages
