3.2.5.3 Water security Flashcards
(35 cards)
1
Q
what factors will help improve water management?
A
technology
2
Q
examples of technological factors improve water supply?
A
GM crops
Desalination
3
Q
define desalination
A
process of removing mineral salt from seawater
4
Q
adv/ disadv of GM crops
A
+drought-resistant seeds (maize/rice)
+reduce agricultural demand
+yield higher ^food insecurity
+reduce potential conflict over water
- vulnerable to diseases
5
Q
what are the Sources of water
A
- most water is found in the oceans
- not drinkable , saline
- 69% of freshwater is in glaciers and ice caps
6
Q
Sources of water humans use
A
- surface water supplies eg rivers and reservoirs
- underground stores eg groundwater and aquifers
- seawater (after desalination
- reverse osmosis)
7
Q
What is green water?
A
Water intercepted, stores and released by vegetation through evaporation and transpiration
8
Q
What is blue water
A
Visible part of the water cycle surface flows and recharging aquifers
9
Q
What is grey water
A
Fresh water that is polluted
10
Q
What is water stress
A
Imbalance between water use and water resources available where a lack of water cause a major constant on human activity
11
Q
What causes water stress
A
Differences between supply and demand
12
Q
Which places have high water stress
A
- North Africa sue to low rainfall and high agricultural use
- Middle East has deserts with low rainfall and high population
13
Q
What issues does having extremely high water stress have
A
- health issues
- cause political issues as countries may argue on who owns reservoirs and who has access to water
14
Q
How much water is considered a human right
A
- WHO states that between 50 to 100litres of water per person per day is needed to ensure that most basic needs are met
- most people are categorised as lacking access to clean water
- only 71% of people have access to safe drinking water this used to be 60% in 2000
15
Q
High income countries and water access
A
- high income countries have way more safely manège drinking facilities than low income
- high income countries have 98% safely managed access to drinking water whereas low income has 29% this being over 3x
16
Q
Water scarcity
A
- areas of water stress eg, Middle East and Northern Africa
- water scarcity eg, Middle East due to Arabian desert
17
Q
What is physical water scarcity
A
Natures provision of water is insufficient to meet population needs eg, western USA , Australia
18
Q
What is economic water scarcity
A
Population doesn’t have the monetary means to utilise adequate water supply
19
Q
Relationship of water supply with climate
A
- soil water budget shows that water storage and precipitation is greatest in winter and autumn
- high temp = high evaporation rates
- in some countries monsoon season is significant in replenishing water supply
- drier climates cause reduce their overall water supply
20
Q
Relationship of water supply with geology
A
- permeable rock can be infiltrated and water stored underground in aquifers providing long term water store during summer months
- Alternating bands of impermeable and permeable rock create underground water basins water is filtered through rock means good quality water
- mountainous regions encourage relief rainfall increasing water supply
21
Q
Relationship of water supply with drainage
A
number of inputs to a river helps ensure a consistent water supply. If one supply of water decreases, the other water sources (e.g. groundwater flow) ensure the overall impact on the drainage basin is not significant.
- mountainous areas of Ethiopia and other African countries, droughts upstream can decrease supplies downstream. Egypt has little rainfall that supplies the Nile
22
Q
Local water conflicts: Kaladera, Northern India
A
- heavily reliant on erratic monsoons rains for recharging rivers and underground aquifers - Coca
-Cola has been heavily criticised for causing extreme water shortages in developing countries
- for every 2.7litres of water used it creates 1 litre of product
- In 2016 Coca-Cola was battling 3 states where farmers were protesting the company’s use of dwindling groundwater reserves and how they depleted the water level leaving no water to irrigate
- 2014 they were able to reach water at 20ft now there’s no water at 500ft
23
Q
Sustainability issues: Virtual water change
A
- countries in water scarcity can save water resources by relying more on the import of food
- water used to produce food and commodities
- Mexico imports more water than they give
- Africa has low amounts of water imports in comparison to the rest of the continents
- being aware of total water value can help countries manage their water more sustainable
- some commodities are water intensive such as India being the worlds largest importing of basmati rice
24
Q
National water conflicts: The Colorado River
A
- the Colorado river is a vital source of water for 40 million people in South western America
- there’s a 16 year drought
- the river has been tamed by a plumbing system of multiple dams and reservoirs supplying to farmer and cities
- conflict between USA and Mexico and farmers who want to use it for irrigation, native Indian population who claim rights to water, neighbouring settlements eg Las Vegas which are dry areas
25
International water conflicts: The River Nile, Africa
- the white and blue Nile rise at the Ethiopian highlands
- Egypt relies on the Nile for 95% of its water
- A colonial treaty between Egypt and Sudan leaves almost all the Nile's water to them
- in 2011, Ethiopia started to build be grand thiopian Renaissance Dam near the border with Sudan to generate hydroelectric power (HEP) and take better control of the river's flow to prevent drought and hooding. Egypt is concerned that the dam will lead to the loss of billions of cubic metres of water by evaporation from the lake formed behind the dam, meaning that less water will flow into Egypt. This led to disputes between the two countries, but a partial agreement was reached in 2015.
26
Impacts of grand renaissance
finished being built in 2017 in Ethiopia Benishangul founded by the government
positives:
economic development and created 12,000 jobs
negatives :
20,000 people displaced
- descrease in marine species
- very dependent on dam as holding back even 10% of water puts 5 million farmers out of work in Egypt
27
Egypts Dam Problem
- Egypt imports 50% of its food
- 99% of Egypt freshwater comes from the Nile
- Ethiopia receives 200cm of rain per year in some areas
- less than 10mm of rain in Egypt per year
28
strategies to manage water consumption reducing domestic use
- having showers instead of baths
- collecting rain water to use on gardens
- installing low flush or dual flush toilets
- filling kettles with just enough water for needs
- using newer tech such as water efficient washing machines/ dishwashers
- In 2001 the UK government banned the use of toilets that use 6l plus in one flush
Challenges:
- expensive - people may not stick to behaviour changes - wild scale effort to see impact
29
Water catchment to increase water supply
(egypt dam) +/-
- dams block rivers so that reservoirs of water build up behind this supplies large amounts of drinking water all year round reducing water insecurity especially where precipitation may be seasonal
positive:
can help fishing and tourism industries from HEP
negative:
can cause conflict and restrict water flow downstream
- expensive
- Aswan Dam in the river Nile finished in 1970 in Egypt yields economic benefits through maximising the utility on irrigated land and producing Hydroelectric power ( the dams 12 turbines can generate 10 Billion kilowatt hours annually)
30
strategies managing water consumption
Reducing Agricultural use strategies
- drip feed irrigation deliver drip directly at plant base
- contour ploughing ( ploughing across a slope to reduce runoff)
Challenges - time consuming - expensive
31
management of water consumption example
Water restrictions Cape Town
- now limited to using 13 gallons of water per person per day
- Cape towns water app was used to shame households of their water use
- £500 fines used on people who use water to fill up swimming pool or water the lawn
- reduced water pressure to reduce leaks
+ cheaper due to no infrastructure
- inequalities within Cape Town as richer people are less likely to follow
- relies on people not to change back
32
Sustainable industry example - Walkers crisp
- reducing energy consumption by using wind turbines
- ensuring all packet bags are 100% renewable by 2030
- using fertilisers made from food waste produced by potato plants
33
Sustainability issues: Lack of use of recycling and grey water
- recycling of water done through expensive sewage treatments
- grey water can be used for watering plants or flushing toilets
- not all companies may be willing to use grey water for irrigation
34
Sustainability issues: Groundwater depletion
- can be managed but still a possibility of exploitation
- LICs may not be able to get aquifers
- fines introduced for industry's that dump toxic water wont fully deter them
35
Sustainability issues: Virtual water change
- countries in water scarcity can save water resources by relying more on the import of food
- water used to produce food and commodities
- Mexico imports more water than they give
- Africa has low amounts of water imports in comparison to the rest of the continents
- being aware of total water value can help countries manage their water more sustainable
- some commodities are water intensive such as India being the worlds largest importing of basmati rice
