Water Supply

Question 1

X3 factors which affect water supply geographically

Answer 1

• river systems
• climate
• geography

Question 2

% of world’s water which is saltwater

Answer 2

97.5%

Question 3

% of earth’s water which is freshwater

Answer 3

2.5%

Question 4

In the hydrological cycle how much per year is released via precipitation?

Answer 4

aprox. 113,500km^3

Question 5

Downstream in rivers what happens to river flow / discharge

Answer 5

increases

Question 6

20% of all water entering oceans comes form what river’s discharge

Answer 6

Amazon

Question 7

What does great amounts of river surface water suggest?

Answer 7

river being supplied from many other sources

Question 8

What is the most significant factor in determining water supply

Answer 8

climate

increasingly important due to climate change influence hydrological patterns

Question 9

What does high temperatures mean for water storage?

Answer 9

increased evaporation

so decreased water storage

Question 10

Why are mountains usually good water reserves?

Answer 10

high mountains have snowpack

during spring-summer when temperatures increase snowmelt is released

Question 11

term for lows that may occur seasonally

Answer 11

seasonal deficit

Question 12

What type of precipitation do equatorial regions experience?

Answer 12

high annual precipitation

Question 13

3 factors to do with geology which influence water storage

Answer 13

• permeability of surface
• depth of soil
• vegetation

Question 14

name an impermeable rock

Answer 14

granite

Question 15

What happens to water landing on granite

Answer 15

impermeable rock

water on surface as run off
= limited infiltration
= high drainage density

Question 16

Name a permeable rock

Answer 16

limestone

Question 17

What can permeable rocks act as in relation to water storage?

Answer 17

act as aquifers

Question 18

Thin soil and low vegetation mean what for water storage?

Answer 18

low interception and high surface run off

Question 19

Deep soils and dense vegetation mean what for water storage

Answer 19

encourages infiltration and groundwater flow

Question 20

Infiltration, percolation and ground water flow are highest in what type of areas?

Answer 20

underneath forested areas

Question 21

What is meant by the term “blue water flow”

Answer 21

visible part of the hydrological cycle

Question 22

What is an aquifer?

Answer 22

subterranean store of groundwater in porous rock

Question 23

How can water be extracted from an aquifer?

Answer 23

via bore wells and pumps

Question 24

Define WATER STRESS

Answer 24

when demand for water exceeds the amount available during a certain period

Question 25

Define PHYSICAL WATER SCARCITY

Answer 25

when shortages occur because demand exceeds supply

Question 26

Define ECONOMIC WATER SCARCITY

Answer 26

exists when people cannot afford water even when it is readily available

Question 27

What type of water scarcity does Africa suffer? What type of water scarcity does it not suffer?

Answer 27

suffers economic water scarcity countries located on equator receive frequent rain - so do not suffer physical water scarcity

Question 28

Why may Africa suffer physical water scarcity?

Answer 28

not managed / used efficiently

Question 29

What type of scarcity does Australia suffer?

Answer 29

no scarcity apart from Murray-Darling basin area which is physically scarce

Question 30

Global water consumption increased between 1900-2000 by what %?

Answer 30

600%

Question 31

What % of water is used in agriculture?

Answer 31

69%

Question 32

What % of water is used in industry?

Answer 32

21%

Question 33

What % of water is used for domestic purposes?

Answer 33

10%

Question 34

Relationship between thin soils w/ sparse vegetation, interception, surface runoff and infiltration

Answer 34

In thin soils w/ sparse vegetation there is low interception This will mean there is surface run off rather than mass infiltration so will reduce ground water storage

Question 35

How can global warming worsen the water supply issues?

Answer 35

- reducing annual rainfall | - increasing temperatures and thus evaporation

Question 36

Name X4 players in the supply of water;

Answer 36

- government - NGOs - water companies - consumers

Question 37

How can water security be measured?

Answer 37

Water Poverty Index

Question 38

Where does USA rank on the water poverty index?

Answer 38

medium low

Question 39

Where does Canada and the West of Europe rank of the Water Poverty Index?

Answer 39

Low

Question 40

Define infiltration capacity

Answer 40

the maximum rate at which water can enter the soil surface

Question 41

To avoid crops drowning what is necessary to install in land prone to saturation?

Answer 41

some form of drainage e.g open ditches + speed removal of water - do little to lower water table

Question 42

What is a problem with land drainage and agriculture? What have governments done to help?

Answer 42

$$$ for the farmers UK government subsidises not always available in LEDCs

Question 43

Water flowing through a saturated zone is known as...

Answer 43

throughflow

Question 44

X2 main controls of hillslope run off;

Answer 44

- soil depth | - slope angle

Question 45

Why may domestic use be high in terms of water demand?

Answer 45

- for leisure use e. g gardens / golf courses - use of labour saving devices

Question 46

Why may some areas heavily dependent on agriculture not have high water demand? Give an example

Answer 46

may have effective rain fed agriculture e.g Ghana may not have infrastructure for irrigation (due to level of development)

Question 47

What type of situation is often encountered in water diversion projects?

Answer 47

robbing peter to pay paul

Question 48

Who may benefit when supply is less than demand in terms of players?

Answer 48

water utility companies

Question 49

why may large scale water management projects not be successful in the long term?

Answer 49

low levels of lakes / rivers in the past may not be present today questions over longevity

Question 50

What is the main problem with the impact of using transboundary water resources?

Answer 50

one's water security gain is another's water security loss | zero-sum scenario

Question 51

What is the main purpose of 3-gorges?

Answer 51

renewable energy | more than water security