Changes to the Water Cycle

Question 1

What are 5 changes to the water cycle?

Answer 1

• seasonal changes
• water abstraction
• deforestation
• farming practices
• land use change

Question 2

How does deforestation impact the water cycle on a smaller scale?

Answer 2

• reduced interception
• more surface runoff and more infiltration
• increase river discharge

Question 3

How does large scale deforestation impact the water cycle?

Answer 3

• reduced evapotranspiration
• reduced rainfall
• so less water in a drainage basin system, more water elsewhere

Question 4

How does irrigation impact the water cycle?

Answer 4

reduces water in river channels

Question 5

How does ploughing soil impact the water cycle?

Answer 5

• increases pore spaces
• more infiltration
• potentially more soil erosion

Question 6

How does compacting soils impact the water cycle?

Answer 6

• less infiltration
• more overland flow

Question 7

How does deforestation for agriculture impact the water cycle?

Answer 7

• interception reduced, larger vegetation replaced with arable crops
• however, at least some crops and not urbanisation

Question 8

Why might urbanisation be a significant factor affecting the water cycle in the future?

Answer 8

population growth putting pressure on urban areas to expand

Question 9

How does urbanisation impact the water cycle?

Answer 9

• impermeable surfaces
• water enters river channels more quickly

Question 10

How does water abstraction impact the water cycle?

Answer 10

• less water in aquifers/groundwater
• takes longer to be recharged and can deplete ground water stores
• reduces water flowing to rivers

Question 11

Why might water abstraction be a significant factor affecting the water cycle in the future?

Answer 11

population growth, especially in countries with less rainfall