Water Transfers

Question 1

Transfer Order

Answer 1

1. Water comes from the snowcaps of mountains or relatively nearby seas and rivers
2. A maze of dams, pumps, and canals are used to transfer the water down the mountains or from the bodies of water
3. The water ends up in heavily populated cities and water poor agricultural regions

Question 2

Water Transfer Pros

Answer 2

Water can be transferred to water poor areas, agricultural regions for crops, and to cities/ supplies massive amounts of water to areas that would otherwise be desert.

Fresh water can be easily collected from mountain runoff, seas, and rivers and converted to be used.

Question 3

Water Transfer Cons

Answer 3

Water sources are degraded, threatening fisheries and increasing pollution in seas and bays by decreasing their ability to flush out the bad water.

Water transfer is greatly inefficient and and much of the water is wasted. Global warming also affects the water transfer market and in the next 100 years a shortage of water will cause people in water poor areas to have to move elsewhere.

Question 4

California water project

Answer 4

Water comes from the Sierra Mountain range snow caps or the Sacramento river into southern California in order to sustain cities and grow crops.

This massive transfer supplies central valley, which produces half of the nations fruits and vegetables.

The process, though, is extremely inefficient and wastes a lot of water through evaporation and leaks.

Scientist say that making it even just 10% more efficient would easily provide all the water that is needed in the South. It also reduces the flow of the Sacramento river, threatening fisheries and causing an increase in pollutants.

Question 5

Aral Sea disaster

Answer 5

The Aral sea disaster is the result of a large scale water transfer project in Central Asia that diverted a lot of water from two rivers that supply the Aral Sea to create the world’s largest irrigated areas in order to raise cotton and rice.

This along with droughts and high evaporation rates, caused a massive ecological and economic disaster.

The sea has lost 90% of its volume, about 80% of its fish species is extinct, water levels have dropped by an height equivalent to a 6 story building, there are extreme changes in the local climate, most of the bottom is a white salt desert, and wind is now carrying the salt up to over 300 miles away polluting water, killing wildlife and crops and causing the himalayas to melt faster.

Question 6

Chinese South-North water diversion project

Answer 6

Implemented by the Chinese government, it includes a plan to Transfer water from the Yangtze river in the South to the water deprived North. It will displace over 350,000 villagers and severely damage an ecosystem that is already suffering from its worst drought in decades.

Question 7

Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project (LBITP)

Answer 7

Transfer water from Trinity River to Lake Houston

Created to provide more surface water to end users that utilize water from Lake Houston. Lessens ground water usage

Functions partly as flood mitigation as well as back up water for Lake Houston by capturing rain moving through different parts of the region.