ESS summative 2 Q1

Water budge

Amount of water available. 97% saltwater, 2.6% freshwater

Aquifers

big water reservoirs underground

Turnover time

Time it takes for a water molecule to enter and leave a water system

Storage

Temporary location of water

Flow

Movement or change of water on a storage

Hydrological cycle process

Evaporation, advection, condensation, precipitation, interception, surface run-off, infiltration, percolation, groundwater, transpiration, evapotranspiration, sublimation

Types of human impact to the hydrological cycle

Industry, urbanization, agriculture and deforestation

Irrigation

Addition of water to places where it is insufficient for crops to grow

Water stress

When the water demand is higher than the amount of water available for use

Ocean conveyor belt

Global cycle of circulation of water currents

Upwelling

Cold water moves towards shores while warm water flows away from them

Salinity effect on water

While cold water holds more salt and rises, warm water holds less of it and sinks

ENSO

El Niño southern oscilation effect

El Niño

Warmer phase of ENSO, climate in the east is warmes while in the west is colder

La Niña

Colder phase of ENSO, complete opposite to El Niño

Water scarcity

demand for water exceeds its availability

Economic water scarcity

When there are not enough economic resources to access water

Physical water scarcity

When there is no physical access to water

Biggest water uses (6)

Agriculture, industry, domestic, hydroelectric power, transport and international borders

Desertification

When the land becomes dryer and sandier, not just desert

Causes of unequal access to water

Climate change, different precipitation patterns, high living standards, different costs of water, conflict, pollution, increase in population, different access to technology, inequality, etc.

Examples of water wars

US & Mex. (Colorado River). Syria, Iraq & Turkey (Tigris & Euphrates rivers). 5 Middle East countries (Jordan River), 11 African countries (Nile River), etc

Dip irrigation

Plastic tubes used in crops to water directly the roots of the plants

Rainfall harvesting

Collect rainfall water when it runs off in a surface, then stored and reused

Water desalinization

Remove the salt concentrations in oceanic water and convert it to freshwater in water plants

Water redistribution

Water moved from places with more water to places with less water

Reservoirs

Build storages for freshwater

Artificial recharge of aquifers

Replenish water in underground aquifers through human-controlled methods

Grey water recycling

Collect used water and reuse it for another purpose