Water Control Systems and Irrigation Methods

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing pros, cons, and characteristics of water diversion systems (dams, levees, dikes, aqueducts) and modern agricultural irrigation techniques.

Dam

A barrier built across water that provides an unlimited energy source and aids in flood control, but requires significant materials and energy to construct, disrupts natural water flow, and displaces fish such as salmon.

Fish Ladder / Fish Cannon

Specialized structures or methods that allow displaced fish, such as salmon, to travel up and bypass dams.

Levee

An enlarged bank built up on either side of a river to prevent flooding; while the Mississippi contains the world's largest system, they can redirect flooding elsewhere, trap sediment before the ocean, and fail (such as the $50$ levees toppled in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina).

Dike

A flood-control structure similar to a levee designed specifically to prevent ocean water from flooding onto land; commonly utilized in low-lying areas like the Netherlands that sit below sea level, despite high costs, extensive land needs, and risk of failure.

Aqueduct

Canals or ditches constructed to transport water from one location to another, supplying major cities like LA or NYC, but costly to build, harmful to natural habitats, and disruptive to natural water flow.

Aral Sea Diversion

A historical water-diversion project in the 1950s where the Soviet Union diverted two rivers, resulting in reduced freshwater inflow to the sea, altered local climates, and modified erosion rates.

Furrow Irrigation

An easy and inexpensive irrigation method where trenches or furrows are dug alongside crops; operates at an efficiency rate of approximately $65\%$.

Flood Irrigation

An irrigation method where an entire field is flooded to let water soak into the soil; achieves $70\% - 80\%$ efficiency but is more disruptive to plant growth.

Spray Irrigation

An irrigation technique where water is pumped from a well and sprayed out across crops; runs at $70\% - 95\%$ efficiency, though it is more expensive and requires energy.

Drip Irrigation

A high-efficiency watering system that delivers water through a slowly dripping hose, preventing surface watering and suppressing weed growth; achieves over $95\%$ efficiency.

Hydroponic Agriculture

A soil-free method of cultivating crops inside a greenhouse using only a nutrient-rich solution; uses up to $95\%$ less water, allows year-round production, and requires little to no pesticides.