water Flashcards
(19 cards)
mekong 🇨🇳🇱🇦🇹🇭🇰🇭🇻🇳
- Reduced sediment flow: Dams trap nutrient-rich sediment, reducing soil fertility in downstream delta regions – bad for rice farming.
- Fish migration blocked: Dams obstruct fish routes, reducing fish stocks and harming fishing-based trade and livelihoods.
- Impacts on “rice bowl” economies: Countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam depend on fertile land and healthy fisheries – both are disrupted.
singapore water 💧 What are Singapore’s “Four National Taps”?
water management
- Imported water (from Malaysia)
- Local catchment water (reservoirs + rainwater collection)
- NEWater (recycled water)
- Desalinated water (from seawater)
🇲🇾 How does imported water play a role in Singapore’s water supply?
- Singapore imports water from Johor, Malaysia under long-term agreements.
- Currently being phased out to reduce dependency.
- Political tensions have pushed Singapore to develop domestic alternatives.
🌍 Why is the Nile River a source of political tension between countries like Ethiopia, Egypt, and Uganda?
- Ethiopia built the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to generate hydroelectric power and support development.
- Egypt relies on the Nile for ~95% of its freshwater – fears the dam will reduce flow downstream, especially during filling periods.
- Sudan is caught in the middle – benefits from electricity and water control but fears sudden changes in flow.
- Uganda and other upstream countries want more say in water use, but historically, Egypt held most of the rights (Colonial-era treaties).
- The Nile flows through 11 countries, making cooperation difficult due to competing national interests.
🚰 How has WaterAid helped improve water access in Uganda?
- introduced reusable water jerry cans to make water collection easier and more hygienic.
- Trains local people to repair and maintain wells and pumps → builds local skills.
- Focus on community-led solutions – affordable and long-term.
- Reduces time spent collecting water → more time for education, especially for girls.
- Helps reduce waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid.
🌧 What caused the 2007 UK floods?
Caused by prolonged heavy rainfall in summer, falling on already saturated ground → widespread surface runoff and river flooding.
River Severn overflowed → Upton-upon-Severn worst hit
impact in upton-upon- severn
- 13 deaths, £3 billion in damage
- Tewkesbury and Gloucestershire also badly affected
- Water treatment works flooded → 350,000 without clean water for over a week
- Damage to homes, businesses, and local infrastructure
- Led to policy changes: better flood warnings, improved drainage, and investment in flood defences.
🌵 What were the causes of Australia’s Millennium Drought (2001–2009)?
Causes:
* El Niño effect → less rainfall in eastern Australia
* Climate change may have intensified conditions
* Over-abstraction from Murray-Darling Basin for agriculture
impacts of australias millennium drought (2001-2009)
- Water levels dropped by up to 50% in some reservoirs
- Major impact on irrigated farming – especially rice and cotton
- City water supplies under pressure → Melbourne introduced strict water restrictions
- Long-term ecological damage: river ecosystems degraded
responses to australia millenium drought (2001-2009)
- Desalination plants built (e.g., in Perth)
- Public campaigns to save water
- Investment in efficient irrigation technology (hard engineering schemes)
🇨🇳 What is the South–North Water Transfer Project in China and why was it created?
(2002)
- A $62 billion mega-project
- Aims to transfer 44.8 billion cubic metres of water annually.
Built to solve uneven water distribution:
South = water-rich
North = home to half the population, but only 20% of water
critisms of the south north water transfer scheme
- Displaced over 300,000 people
- High cost, massive environmental disruption
- May not be sustainable long-term (climate change could reduce southern water supply)
benefits of the south north water transfer scheme
- Secures water for industry, agriculture, and domestic use in the north
- Supports economic development in cities like Beijing
🌊 What are the main features and purpose of the Three Gorges Dam in China?
(1994-2012)
- Location: Built on the Yangtze River
- Purpose:
- Generate hydroelectric power (largest in the world, 22,500 MW capacity).
- Improve navigation along the Yangtze River for shipping.
- Flood control for downstream areas.
🏙 How did the Three Gorges Dam impact the surrounding cities and communities?
- Over 100 cities flooded, including parts of Wuhan and Yichang
- Over 1 million people were displaced, with many relocated to nearby towns.
- Social disruption: Loss of homes, agricultural land, and livelihoods for thousands of people.
🌍 What environmental and long-term concerns have arisen due to the Three Gorges Dam?
**Environmental impacts:
* **Altered river ecosystems and loss of biodiversity, including the Yangtze River dolphin.
* Soil erosion and disruption of sediment flow.
**Long-term concerns:
* **Risk of seismic activity (earthquakes) due to dam pressure.
* Sediment build-up could reduce dam capacity over time.
🇮🇳how is the Indus River different in terms of its river system and climate?
- Climate: Cold-based river, originates from the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau.
- Fed by glacial meltwater and seasonal snowmelt, making it highly dependent on seasonal changes.
- Arid climate in the downstream region, particularly in Pakistan and India.
❄️🇨🇦 What makes the Yukon River unique in terms of its water source and climate?
- Climate: Cold-based river, located in North America (Canada and Alaska).
- Fed by glaciers, snowmelt, and permafrost.
Long cold winters and short summers make the water flow highly seasonal.
Impact: - The spring thaw causes high discharge levels, but in winter, the flow can decrease significantly.
- Vulnerable to climate change, which can affect seasonal water flow and river ice.
🇦🇺how does the Murray-Darling River differ from the Indus and Yukon in terms of its climate and river system?
Climate: Warm-based river, found in Australia.
* Fed by rainfall, particularly in southern Australia, and seasonal variations in precipitation.
* Semi-arid to subtropical climate, with high evaporation rates due to the warm weather.
Impact:
* Highly affected by droughts, water scarcity, and over-extraction for agriculture.
Water flow can be very low in dry seasons, with water allocation issues impacting irrigation and rural communities.
