Increasing Water Supply

• ways to increase water supplies:

  • dams and reservoirs
  • water diversion
  • water transfer
  • desalination
• dams are reservoirs are a reliable water source:

  1. build a storage dam across a river - traps water behind the river creating a reservoir
  2. during times of water surplus the reservoir will be filled, this water can be released when there's water deficits
• reservoirs can cause conflict because they flood agricultural land, may also drown settlements - they're expensive to build and maintain
• water diversion = a dam is built to raise a river's water levels to redirect water to a chosen location
• water diversion dams are less disruptive than storage dams, they can also be used to irrigate farmland or produce hydroelectric power
• water transfer scheme = large-scale engineering projects that move water from an area of surplus to an area of deficit
• water transfer schemes usually use canals/pipes but pumping stations/aqeducts are sometimes used
• desalination removes salt from seawater so it can be processed
• two main processes:

  • seawater is heated until it evaporates and is condensed as freshwater
  • seawater is passed through a membrane that removes the salt
• wealthy desert countries often use desalination as their main source of clean drinking water
• desalination is expensive as energy is needed to heat seawater or force it through membranes