Water: Brazil

Question 1

date and location

Answer 1

Brazil

2014-2015

Question 2

key facts

Answer 2

2014-2015 drought was the worst in 80 years

70% of new wells were illegal

water rationing for 4 million people

depletion of Brazil’s 17 largest reservoirs to dangerously low levels

reduced coffee beans, pushing up global coffee prices by 50%

Question 3

human causes of drought in Brazil

Answer 3

over abstraction of groundwater:
poor water infrastructure
70% of new wells were illegal due to high fees charged by Brazil’s government for granting a licence

deforestation:
positive feedback loop
3 football fields per minute
approaching tipping point

Question 4

impacts of drought in Brazil

social

Answer 4

illegal wells are generally shallower and less filtered by bedrock, therefore they contain industrial pollutants and higher levels fo bacteria

water rationing for 4 million people; water supplies were cut off for three days a week in some towns

Question 5

impacts of drought in Brazil

economic

Answer 5

the halting of HEP production, leading to power cuts

reduced coffee beans, pushing up global coffee prices by 50%

Question 6

impacts of drought in Brazil

environmental

Answer 6

depletion of Brazil’s 17 largest reservoirs to dangerously low levels

Question 7

meteorological causes of drought in Brazil

Answer 7

a series of high-pressure systems diverted rain-bearing winds further southwards from the Andes

heavy rain occurred in Bolivia and Paraguay, whilst dry air remained over Brazil

Question 8

normal conditions

Answer 8

moist air moves in a westerly direction from the South Atlantic across the Amazon Basin

when the moist air encounters the high Andes mountain range to the west of the continent, it is forced to turn southwards- maintaining the flow of moisture around the Basin