water topic 3.6 Flashcards
sources of water supply
-lakes and rivers
-aquifers
-reservoirs
-desalination
-rainwater harvesting
groundwater/aquifier
-water stored underground
-water has filtered through soil and rocks
-obtained by drilling boreholes or digging wells
-when all the rock is fully saturated it is an aquifier
-groundwater may also come to the surface as a spring
-issues:
-Overuse or over-abstraction of water in some areas means that aquifers do not have time to recharge through precipitation
-Pollution from industry, agriculture and domestic waste can leach into the groundwater
surface water
-water stored in lakes, resevoirs, and rivers
-issues:
-Pollution from industry, agriculture and domestic waste can enter the water system through surface runoff
-Dams are used to store water in reservoirs, but the construction of dams has slowed due to a lack of suitable sites and concerns regarding the environmental impact
desalination
-the removal of salt from seawater means it can be sued for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes
-issues:
-Expensive to set up and run
-Desalination plants use a lot of energy
global water use
-70% agriculture—irrigation of crops and water for livestock
-20% industry—producing goods and generating energy
-10% domestic—toilets, cooking, cleaning, washing
causes of water shortages (deficit)
low supply:
-lack of precipitation
-high levels of evaporation
-poor water management
-drought
-pollution
high demand:
-increasing population
-industry
-agriculture
physical water scarcity
when physical access to water is limited due to the climate conditions of the area
economic water scarcity
when a population does not have the money to utilize the available water resources
impacts of water shortages
-death and illness, due to waterborne diseases
-potential conflicts over water supply
-children in rural areas in LEDCs often miss out on school since they are collecting water
-lack of food due to:
crops cannot be irrigated so yields are lower
livestock dies due to a lack of water
define aquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated materials.
is water demand higher in LEDCs or MEDCs
MEDCs
main water use in MEDCS
industry
main use of water in LEDCs
agriculture
reasons for higher water demand in MEDCS
Improved living standards.
Increased use of water in leisure and tourism.
Increased urbanisation.
Increasing industry.
Increased use in agriculture for livestock.
over abstraction
when too much water is taken from a water source. In some areas, this means that aquifers do not have time to recharge through precipitation.
what is drip irrigation
water-saving method that delivers water directly to the roots of plants, reducing water loss due to evaporation.
technologies for managing water in LEDCs
Wells.
Gravity-fed systems.
Boreholes use a hand pump to bring water to the surface.
Rainwater collection from roofs.
Drip irrigation.
Drought-resistant crops.
How much of the available water is used for agriculture in south-east Spain?
In south-east Spain agriculture uses 80% of the water available.
What is the name of the Spanish water transfer project completed in 1978
Tagus-Segura Project.
why is there a water deficit in spain
There is a water deficit as demand exceeds supply
Tourism increases the problem because:
Water parks and golf courses use significant quantities of water
An average tourist uses between 450 and 800 litres per day
An average Spaniard uses 127 litres per day
ebro project
A second water transfer project was proposed in 2001 to transfer water from the River Ebro
This project was abandoned due to the
failure and issues with the Tagus-Segura project
cost
threat to the Ebro Delta, as the scheme would have disrupted sediment flow to the delta
Spain has now moved to utilising desalination plants to meet the demand for water
