water resource management

• Resource


  A product that is valuable to living
• Essential global resources


  • Food
  • Water
  • Energy
• Types of resources


  • Abiotic (inorganic, non-living materials from the earth)
  • Biotic (living, organic materials)
  • Renewable (infinite supply)
  • Non-renewable (limited supply)
• We need resources to be able to live, for example water, energy sources, food and metals
• Some humans over-exploit resources which could endanger the supply of resources in the future
• Ways we exploit our environment

  • Fishing
  • Fossil fuels
  • Deforestation
  • Intensive farming
• Fishing can reduce the population of fish available in the future and damage environments like coral reefs
• Fossil fuels are a non-renewable source with a reducing supply available, and burning them releases carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide
• Deforestation releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, disrupts the nutrients cycle, and endangers plant and animal species
• Intensive farming can damage the environment through pesticides and stripping the soil of nutrients
• Reservoirs


  • Found in regions of high latitude, like the Pennines and Snowdonia
  • Largest reservoir is Kielder Reservoir
  • Hopes to connect reservoirs across the country through transfer schemes
• Nuclear power stations


  • Relatively spread out across England, Wales and Scotland
  • Found along the coast to distance radiation from major cities and for emergency cooling
  • Electricity generated can be transported across the country using the National Grid
• Farmland in the UK

  • Spread across the UK but type of farming depends on location
  • West coast has more sheep and cattle farming due to rainfall and wind
  • East coast has more crop farming due to sheltered conditions and flatter land
  • UK has limited greenfield land for agriculture, leading to increased food imports
• Woodlands in the UK

  • Largest density in Scotland, especially along the west coast
  • Some woodlands are artificially grown for timber production
• Water is essential for human life and is used in business and food production
• Water consumption for everyday items

  • Cars require 76,000 litres
  • Jeans require 8,000 litres
  • A barrel of beer requires 6,000 litres
• Water consumption for food production

  • 1kg of beef requires 15,500 litres
  • 1kg of olives requires 4,400 litres
  • 1kg of chocolate requires 24,000 litres
• Water Surplus


  The supply of water exceeds the demand for water
• Water Deficit


  The supply of water is less than the demand for water
• Water Stress


  There could be a large enough volume of water to meet demand, but not enough clean, good quality water is available or the water is inaccessible
• Countries with freshwater available

  • 3 countries
• Countries with water scarcity

  • 3 countries
• Newly industrialised countries have the highest levels of water stress, while MEDCs have medium levels and LEDCs have smaller scale industries and tend to conserve water
• Water Treatment and Purification

  To remove dirt, bacteria and harmful ions
• Sewage Treatment


  Sewage must be kept separate from clean water, to reduce the risk of water-borne diseases
• Desalination

  To remove salt from water requires a large amount of electricity
• Without treating the water, families may be prone to water-borne diseases, which decrease life expectancy and impact the development of a country
• Types of water usage

  • Domestic Use
  • Industrial Use
  • Agricultural Use
• Water usage in the UK (developed country)

  • Largest proportion is Industrial Use, due to growing quaternary industries demanding electricity
• Water usage in India (newly developed country)

  • Largest proportion is Agricultural Use, to produce food for the large population
• Water usage in South Africa (developing country)

  • Largest proportion is Primary Industries, as they produce raw materials
• Water Security


  Having a clean, reliable source of water that meets demand throughout the year
• The amount of clean water across the world is decreasing, whilst the consumption of water is greatly increasing, due to population growth, pollution, and climate change
• Water-borne diseases

  Diseases that occur when pollution contaminates a water source used for drinking, such as cholera and typhoid
• The amount of clean water across the world is decreasing, whilst the consumption of water is greatly increasing
• This is because the world's population is increasing massively
• Some water sources are becoming polluted by industries
• Climate change is reducing the amount of rainfall in hot climates and also increasing the frequency of weather hazards, which can damage clean water supplies and increase water insecurity
• Water-borne diseases


  Diseases that occur when pollution (especially unsanitary pollution such as sewage) contaminates a water source used for drinking
• Symptoms of water-borne diseases

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Dehydration
  • Stomach Cramps