Water sustainability techniques Flashcards
(10 cards)
Smart irrigation
Drip irrigation and spray technology
Rainwater harvesting
Collect and store from roofs
Restoration of damaged lakes, rivers and wetlands
Increase available water sources
Filtration
Self explanatory
Recycle grey water and reduction in domestic water consumption
Increase water supply through reusing water
Water meters can be fitted
Hydroponics
Crops grown in shallow trays = no soil involved
Resilient agricultural systems
Other societies have used resilient agricultural systems to adapt to climate warming and the reduction in
precipitation. This is through the use of drought resistant crops and particularly GM drought resistance crops.
Flood risk management
Another way that people can adapt to changed climate are the new passive flood defences that have been
built in Cockermouth to prevent another flood such as the one in 2009.
Hard engineering
Water transfer schemes = move water from surplus areas to areas of deficit - done through pipes and channels, redesign river course
Mega dams = stored to ensure consistent supply during times of deficit - stored in a reservoir
Desalination plants = removal of salt from sea water, seawater is heated until it evaporates leaving the salt behind, water vapour condensed to produce freshwater
Reverse osmosis = seawater can be passed through a series of membranes to remove the salt
Advantages and disadvantages of hard engineering schemes
Advantages:
- water security increased
- can control seasonal needs
- highly effective on small scale
- result in political cooperation
- greater security against minor imbalances between supply and demand
Disadvantages:
- water stress can be increased in source area
- receiving area may take advantage of this - build golf courses
- infrastructure needed is expensive + environmentally damaging
- increase in saltwater intrusion in some rivers due to decreased discharge
- rivers can become heavy with sediment which can further change the rate of flow
