Water Case Studies

Question 1

Australian drought - The Big Dry

Answer 1

• Average rainfall was 50% below the normal rate
• El Nino caused drier conditions
• Income from farming reduced by $10bn
• High suicide rates from farmers (one every four weeks)
• Development in smart irrigation of crops to reduce water waste

Question 2

Sahel Drought

Answer 2

• Human factors like deforestation and overgrazing has worsened the drought.
• Physical factors like climate change make seasonal rainfall less predictable
• Recieves 200-800mm of rainfall a year
• Population has doubled in the last 20 years –> increasing famine as not enough food production

Question 3

Tewksbury Flooding

Answer 3

• Caused by heavy rainfall and an overloaded drainage system
• 100 school children were stranded
• 420000 people without drinking water due to sewage treatment contaminating drinking water
• £3 billion cost

Question 4

Nile Conflicts

Answer 4

• 11 countries compete for the Niles water with over 300 million people living in the Nile Basin
• Sudan and Egypt took control of almost all the water
• New water treaty states that all countries have equal rights to the water, however egypt and sudan have not signed it yet
• This could cause conflict, however no country is politically or economically strong enough to fight a war.

Question 5

3 Gorges Dam

Answer 5

• Produces 20000 megawatts of hydroelectric power
• 1.3 million people relocated
• 630km^2 of land flooded to form reservoir
• Water quality has worsened

Question 6

South-North Water transfer project

Answer 6

• Northern China has 35% of the population but only 7% of water supply
• Transfers 50 billion cubic metres of water per year
• 350,000 people will have to relocate
• Cost $70 billion

Question 7

Colorado Water Management

Answer 7

• 7 US states and Mexico all rely on the Colorado river
• Increase in water stress due to increased population size, drought, climate change and increase in agriculture
• 15% decrease in supply every year
• Plans for desalination plants and pipelines to increase water supply

Question 8

Israel desalination project

Answer 8

• 5 plants opened, taking water from the Mediterranean Sea
• Aims to provide 70% of Israels domestic water supply
• Produces 600 tonnes of potable water an hour
• Requires large amounts of energy, however most of the energy is solar