Global Issues: Water Resources
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Questions and Answers

What is the main source of water for rivers and streams?

  • Groundwater from aquifers
  • Melting snow and glaciers (correct)
  • Desalinated ocean water
  • Rainwater from clouds

Which term describes how a river changes as it flows from high to low elevations?

  • Streamlining
  • Meandering
  • Erosion
  • Sediment deposition (correct)

What name is given to the area where a river meets a larger body of water?

  • Estuary
  • Source
  • Tributary
  • Delta (correct)

How is a stream defined in contrast to other bodies of water?

<p>It flows downhill in a channel. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a meander in river terminology?

<p>A natural curve along a river's path (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do Himalayan glaciers play for rivers in Asia?

<p>They are a source of glacier runoff which feeds rivers. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to sediment as rivers slow down when entering plains?

<p>It settles at the river bottom and is deposited. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following features is NOT associated with river systems?

<p>Formation of mountain glaciers (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main drawback of wastewater treatment for reuse?

<p>It can be initially expensive. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hydrologic cycle' refer to?

<p>The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines salinization?

<p>The accumulation of soluble salts in soil. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes describes how water is absorbed by plants and released into the atmosphere?

<p>Transpiration (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of hydrologists?

<p>To study the physical characteristics and distribution of water. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the world's freshwater is directly accessible for human use?

<p>1 percent (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes is responsible for renewing freshwater?

<p>Water cycle (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'freshwater supply'?

<p>Sources of water that are useful and available for use (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of surface freshwater?

<p>Rivers, lakes, and freshwater wetlands (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of groundwater?

<p>It fills the tiny spaces in soil and bedrock (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which lakes contain the largest percentage of the world's surface freshwater?

<p>All of the above (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Desalination is primarily used to convert what type of water into freshwater?

<p>Seawater (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How much of the surface freshwater is contained in freshwater lakes?

<p>87 percent (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary causes of water scarcity?

<p>Both natural factors and human activities (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What impact does population growth have on water resources?

<p>It increases demand for fresh water (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes scientific projections about future water resources?

<p>They are based on simulation models and involve many unpredictable factors (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does pollution relate to population growth?

<p>Population growth leads to higher pollution levels, reducing water availability (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What might be a potential consequence of a rapid increase in global population?

<p>Increased pressure on finite fresh water resources (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does climate change play in the context of water resources?

<p>It can disrupt the hydraulic cycle and impact water availability (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is implied about future population projections in the context of water demand?

<p>Rising global populations will likely exacerbate demand for water (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of international discussions, what is often addressed regarding water resources?

<p>The impacts of climate change on water resources (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How much water does the Al Hidd Desalination Plant produce daily?

<p>30 million US gallons (A), 110,000 cubic meters (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one primary use of recycled water in Australia?

<p>Irrigated horticulture (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of water recycling?

<p>To provide water for non-potable uses (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which desalination plant in Qatar produces around 27,500 cubic meters of drinking water per day?

<p>Ras Laffan Power Plant (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process does the Al Hidd Desalination Plant use to treat seawater?

<p>Multistage flash process (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of water use does the term 'non-potable' refer to?

<p>Water not suitable for drinking (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated annual production capacity of the facility mentioned in the content?

<p>300 million cubic meters (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process is primarily utilized in the treatment of wastewater for recycling purposes?

<p>Physical, biological, and chemical principles (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary indicator used to assess water stress according to hydrologists?

<p>Annual water supplies below 1,700 m3 per person (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes a situation where there is not enough water to meet normal requirements?

<p>Water scarcity (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of water scarcity occurs when annual water supplies drop below 1,000 m3 per person?

<p>Absolute scarcity (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Approximately how many people are estimated to face water scarcity by 2025?

<p>3 billion (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor contributing to water scarcity across many societies?

<p>Inefficient water management (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the current distribution of freshwater resources?

<p>Wasted and polluted (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the population-water equation in understanding water scarcity?

<p>It assesses the balance between water supply and demand (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors does NOT directly contribute to water scarcity?

<p>Technological advancements in agriculture (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Accessible Freshwater

The water found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and underground sources that are shallow enough to be tapped at an affordable cost.

Freshwater Importance

Freshwater is a vital natural resource required for the survival of all living things including humans, animals, and plants.

Water Cycle

The process by which water from seas, lakes, rivers, and dams evaporates, forms clouds, and returns to water sources as precipitation.

Freshwater Supply

Sources of water that are useful and available for human use.

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Surface Freshwater

Freshwater found in rivers, lakes or wetlands.

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Groundwater

Vast amounts of freshwater found beneath the Earth's surface.

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Desalination

The process of converting saline water (like seawater) into freshwater.

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Desalination

A process where salty water is converted into freshwater.

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What is a river's source?

The beginning of a river or stream where water flows from a higher point, such as a mountain, hill, or spring.

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What is a river's delta?

The area where a river or stream ends—often an ocean, bay, or lake, resulting in a mixture of freshwater and saltwater.

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What are meanders in a river?

The slow-moving, winding curves that a river forms as it flows through flat plains. They are formed due to the river's slow speed and deposition of sediment.

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What is surface freshwater?

Water flowing over the land's surface in streams and rivers, ponds, lakes, and wetlands. This includes all freshwater that's not underground.

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What is a stream?

Water flowing downhill in a channel, with a bottom called a bed and sides called banks. Any size body of flowing water can be called a stream, and large streams are typically called rivers.

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What is sediment deposition in a river?

The process where sediment is deposited in a river, often in the plains where the river slows down. This is because the speed of the water becomes slow enough to allow the sediment to settle.

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What is liquid freshwater?

Freshwater flowing over Earth's surface, including rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, and wetlands.

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Water Scarcity

Insufficient water to meet basic needs, impacting society's ability to function. This is a measurable concept that uses water availability per person.

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Water Stress

A situation where water supplies fall below 1,700 cubic meters per person annually. This is a warning sign that scarcity is looming.

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Uneven Freshwater Distribution

Water is distributed unevenly across the globe, meaning some areas have plenty while others struggle to access it.

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Major Freshwater Reservoirs

Glaciers, ice caps, groundwater, wetlands, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. These are the major sources of freshwater.

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Freshwater Forms

Water is available in different forms, such as ice, underground, and running rivers.

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Water Use Growth Rate

Water is used faster than the population is growing, posing a growing challenge for future water security.

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Water Scarcity: A Major Problem For Societies

A significant challenge facing many societies due to its impact on daily life and environmental sustainability.

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Causes of Water Scarcity: Natural and Human-Made

Factors impacting water scarcity can be natural, like droughts, or human-made, like pollution and overuse.

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Transpiration

A process by which water is absorbed by plants, usually through the roots, is evaporated into the atmosphere from the plant surface, such as leaf pores.

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Salinization

The accumulation of soluble salts by the evaporation of the waters that bore them to the soil zone.

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Salt Water Intrusion

The process of mixing of salt water with freshwater.

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Urbanization

The physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change.

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Vegetation Cover

The percentage of soil that is covered by green plants.

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Environmental Projections

The process of using computer models to predict future environmental changes, especially regarding water scarcity.

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Population Growth

The change in population over time, often leading to increased demand for resources like water.

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Hydraulic Cycle

The natural cycle where water evaporates, forms clouds, and returns to Earth as precipitation, constantly replenishing water sources.

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Climate Change Impacts

Changes in weather patterns, such as increased droughts or floods, which can affect water availability.

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Fresh Water Availability

The amount of freshwater readily available for human use, influenced by factors like population growth, pollution, and climate change.

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Water Pollution

The contamination of water sources, reducing their quality and suitability for human consumption, often caused by pollution.

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Saltwater to Freshwater

The process of converting saltwater into freshwater through methods like desalination, used to address water scarcity.

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Population Projections

The process of predicting future populations based on current trends, influencing projections on water demand and scarcity.

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Water Recycling

The process of treating wastewater to remove contaminants and making it suitable for non-drinking purposes, like irrigation.

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Water Recycling: Other Names

Water recycling is also known as water reusing or water reclamation and aims to make use of treated wastewater for non-drinking purposes, such as irrigation.

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Water Recycling in Agriculture

Using treated wastewater for irrigation in agricultural areas, such as orchards and farms.

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Water Recycling in Industry

Providing recycled water to industrial facilities, saving valuable drinking water resources.

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Multistage Flash Desalination

A multistage flash process is a desalination technique where seawater is heated and evaporated in multiple stages to produce fresh water.

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Al Hidd Desalination Plant

The Al Hidd Desalination Plant in Bahrain uses a multistage flash process to treat seawater and produce a significant amount of fresh water.

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Ras Laffan B Power Plant

The Ras Laffan B Power Plant in Qatar has a desalination plant that produces a substantial amount of drinking water.

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Study Notes

Global Issues: Water

  • Water is crucial for human survival and economic development, as well as environmental protection
  • Access to basic water supply and sanitation services is increasingly recognized as fundamental for health and development, and a fundamental human right
  • This chapter focuses on critical issues concerning water education

Freshwater Supply

  • Freshwater is water with low concentrations of dissolved salts and other solids
  • The primary sources of freshwater are mist, rain, and snow
  • Freshwater is unevenly distributed across the globe

Freshwater Distribution

  • About 97% of Earth's water is saltwater
  • Only about 3% of Earth's water is freshwater
  • A very small proportion of freshwater is accessible for human use
  • The majority of freshwater is locked away in glaciers and ice caps
  • A very small percentage is found in lakes, streams, and rivers
  • Water is renewable but limited, renewed through the water cycle (evaporation, cloud formation, precipitation)

Surface Freshwater

  • Surface freshwater includes water in rivers, lakes, and freshwater wetlands
  • Lakes contain a significant portion of Earth's freshwater
  • Rivers are surface water flowing from higher elevations to lower elevations, often starting at a source like a spring or melting snow
  • Rivers often have tributaries, small streams that join together to form larger streams or rivers
  • Eventually, rivers flow into another large body of water (like an ocean, bay, or lake) forming a delta (the transition region)

Groundwater

  • Beneath the Earth's surface is a vast supply of groundwater
  • The water seeps into small spaces in the soil and bedrock
  • This groundwater feeds streams, rivers, and supplies wells

Desalination

  • Desalination is a process to convert saline water (usually seawater) to freshwater
  • It's an artificial process of removing salts and minerals from water

Frozen Water

  • Glacier runoff is considered surface water; it feeds many of Asia's major rivers (including the Indus, Ganges, Yellow, Yangtze, etc.)

Water Scarcity

  • Water scarcity occurs when there is insufficient water to meet normal needs
  • Water stress is experienced when annual water supply drops below 1,700 cubic meters per person
  • Water scarcity occurs when annual water supply drops below 1,000 cubic meters per person
  • The causes of water scarcity are varied, some natural, some related to human activities
  • Population growth, increased water consumption, and pollution are key contributing factors
  • Water scarcity affects 700 million people and increasing across the globe, with concerns about the ability to grow food for the projected global population by 2025

Water Distribution

  • The uneven distribution of freshwater resources creates major access and availability problems

Water Scarcity in the Arab World

  • Arab countries generally have limited freshwater resources due to low rainfall, high evaporation rates, and a significant portion of its land being desert

  • Population growth and development drive increases in water demand

  • Many Arab countries rely on limited water resources in the region, largely connected to rivers outside its borders (e.g Nile, Jordan)

Water Recycling

  • Water recycling (or reclamation) involves treating wastewater to make it useful for non-potable purposes
  • This can involve physical, biological, and chemical processes
  • Water recycling offers the potential to extract a usable and environmentally sustainable freshwater resource from treated wastewater
  • Recycling water can be used for agriculture, industry, and residential purposes

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Global Issues: Water PDF

Description

This quiz delves into the significance of water for human survival, economic development, and environmental sustainability. It emphasizes the critical issues in freshwater supply, distribution, and the education necessary to ensure access to this vital resource. Explore how freshwater is managed globally and the challenges faced in its conservation.

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