managing water supply

• WATER TRANSFER SCHEME- CHINA

  o   The south to north water transfer project via tunnels and canals

  o   Diverts 45 billion cubic metres of water from the Yangtze River(south) to yellow river(north)
• CHINA SCHEME +

  -       Provides clean water for over 20 cities and 100 million people have benefitted 

  -       provides water for industrial use in the north, businesses can still run, and industrial development can continue, prevent economy collapsing

  -       provides water for irrigation of crops, allows resource production for trade or consumption, prevents over abstraction in the north.
• CHINA SCHEME ( -)

  -       project increased height of hanshui river by 15 metres meaning more water was stored, this flooded more land leading to loss of habitats and decreased biodiversity

  -       this dam also decreased velocity of hanshui river which allowed algae blooms to form, leading to eutrophication and death of aquatic organisms.
• MANAGING WATER SUPPLY- SINGAPORE

  o   Singapore has a high demand for water, over 400 million gallons a day (water deficit)

  o   Has very few fresh water sources, 5 desalination plants and uses high tech ways of treating water e.g., uv lights-NEWater

  o   Singapore encourages citizens to use water wisely and a scaled water pricing system was introduced
• COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT OF COLORADO RIVER

  • Drainage basin spreads into 7 different us states.
  • Problems when states trying to use river in diff ways
  • In 2007 updates to Colorado river management plan stated river allocated via size of water deficits in states during periods of drought.

  o   Needed collaboration from the states and stakeholders e.g., farmers, governors, city mayors.