Water shortage – causes and management Flashcards
What does water surplus mean?
A location that has more water than required.
What does water deficit mean?
A place that has less water than required.
What does water scarcity mean?
A lack of fresh water
What are the 2 main reasons why the demand for water has increased?
Because of a rising population and agricultural advancement
Why is population growth a cause of water shortage
Everyone needs water in order to survive. Water makes up at least 60 per cent of a person’s bodyweight and it is needed for all bodily functions. People also use water for hygiene, cooking and cleaning. The population of the world is increasing, but there is only a fixed amount of fresh water available for people to use.
Why is agricultural advancement cause of water shortage
As countries develop, their water use increases. People in wealthier nations have water delivered into their homes via pipeline. Modern appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, use a lot of water. Commercial agriculture, industry and tourism in high income countries (HICs) consume vast quantities of water too. The water footprint of HICs is much higher than low income countries (LICs). As more countries develop, the demands on water will increase.
Name 3 strategies to increase water supply
Dams and reservoirs, water transfers and desalination plants
How are dams and reservoirs a strategy to increase water supply
Rivers transport water to the sea. Dams block rivers so that reservoirs of water build up behind, rather than drain away. This provides large supplies of drinking water all year round and reduces water insecurity, especially where precipitation may be seasonal. Dams and reservoirs can also prevent flooding, as the flow of the river is controlled, and they can also generate electricity through hydroelectric power (HEP).
How is water transfers a strategy to increase water supply
When a country has a water surplus in one area and a water shortage in another, supplies can be transferred. This is called a water transfer scheme. Reservoirs collect and store water in areas of high rainfall. Canals and pipes transport the water to rivers or reservoirs in other parts of the country
How is desalination plants a strategy to increase water supply
It is not possible to drink seawater as it contains salt. Desalination plants remove the salt from seawater to make it safe to drink. Desalination plants could solve many of the world’s water insecurity issues, but the process is expensive and therefore not viable in some developing countries.
What is water conservation (4 marks)
Modern appliances use a lot of water, eg dishwashers and washing machines. Also, people use vast quantities of water to clean cars and to water gardens. Water conservation involves using less water. There are many measures people can take in order to achieve this. Dual-flush toilets require less water every flush and modern appliances are designed with water conservation in mind. Water companies can install water meters to measure the amount of water that households use and charge them accordingly. This encourages people to use less. At a national level, water companies try to conserve water by fixing leaking pipes.
Why is groundwater under increasing threat
Groundwater is under increasing threat from over-abstraction and pollution. Substances such as nitrates enter aquifers as a result of farming. Mining and fracking have also been linked to the pollution of groundwater.
Explain why population growth and agricultural change lead to increasing demand for water [8]
There are many ways why population growth and agricultural change lead to increasing demand for water.
Due to population growth e.g. people having a higher life expectancy (usually in HIC’S) and people who have children, the demand for water as risen. Clean water is needed for many everyday tasks e.g. sanitation, drinking, food production and industrialisation. Without water, we can’t do these tasks. Water is needed to survive and it makes up at least 60 per cent of a person’s bodyweight and it is needed for all bodily functions. There is a fixed amount of water yet if there is such a rapid population growth, the many people will not have clean water. Also, some waters are polluted due to the buildings of factories. This causes pollution which makes sanitation harder which is the reason why mostly HIC’S demand for more water or it can cause water shortage and diseases.
Also, agricultural advancement lead to an increasing demand for water because of climate change. Climate change is causing our earth to become hotter, causing precipitation to be less frequent especially for countries near the equator e.g. Uganda. Water is also needed to produce mass crops in countries. One way of this could be to use hydro-ponics which is a water based technology used for the mass production of crops. 2.5% of people on earth don’t have access to clean water with only 0.3% of this flowing in rivers. This shows physical water scarcity and how there is an increasing demand for water
Outline 2 reasons why a country may have a shortage of water supply excluding human factors
One reason can be a that the country is land-locked. This means that the land area has to rely on water from rivers; they are not able to resort to desalination to obtain freshwater. Moreover, the country may be situated in an area of rain-shadow. Thus the country sees rainfall less frequently than those who have rain. The area may be experiencing drought (less than 250mm of rainfall per year) which could contribute to the shortage of water in rivers and springs.
What is an aquifer?
A naturally occurring underwater storage
