Water Use Flashcards
What source uses the highest percentage of Earth’s water?
Thermoelectric power
What does thermoelectric mean?
heating, steam turns turbines and turbines generate electricty (coal, gas, natural gas, oil and nuclear plants all use this type of power)
What power plants use thermoelectric power?
coal, gas, oil, and nuclear plants
Are these sources of power an example of consumptive water use?
no
Consumptive Use
water lost to atmosphere through evapotranspiration
Non-Consumptive Use
water returned to surface or ground water systems (where it can be retrieved again)
Is irrigation a type of non- consumptive use?
No
Why has U.S. water use declined since 1980, even as population has grown by >50 million?
More efficient thermoelectric power plants (b/c we shifted away from coal, uses less water)
Equation for total water use
Agriculture + Domestic + Industry = Total Water Use
Subsidence
when ground elevation lowers due to water withdrawl and subsequent sediment compaction
What can subsidence create?
sink holes
What are the pros of dams?
- Dependeble water source
- Provides electricity
- Controls floods
- Allows for safe recreational activity
What are the cons of dams?
- Destroy habitats
- Leads to struggles between upstream and downstream areas
m^3/yr is used to calculate
percent water use
Improved Water Supply
source that is likely to provide safe drinking water (i.e. protected springs, protected wells, rainwater collection)
Water contamination is worst in what country?
Africa–South Asia is close second
Less developed countries use far less water use for industry and more for __________?
Agriculture
Industrial water use increases based on _________ globally
income
- 10% for low to middle income countries
- 59% for high income countries
Global population growth is ______% per year
1.1%
According to Vörösmarty et al., which is more important in driving increasing water stress in this century?
population growth
What is the virtual water content of a product?
the volume of freshwater used to produce a commodity, good of service
Why is water management such an acute issue in California?
- Large population and lots of agriculture
- Most of the precipitation falls as snow in the mountains in the winter
- Climate change is exacerbating droughts
What is the main reason for the decline in total U.S water use since 2005?
more efficient thermoelectric power plants
Which food requires the most water to produce?
beef
