Key Idea 4 - Global Management Strategies - Water Cycle

DRAINAGE BASIN PLANNING

  • Setting environmental objective for all groundwater and surface water within the river basin district

  • Integrated Approach - balances conflicting water demands from agriculture, industry, domestic use, wildlife and recreation

  • Impact Areas - water quality, river flow, groundwater levels, biodiversity

Run off Control

  • reforestation in upland areas

  • reducing artigicial drainage

  • expanding permeable surfaces in urban areas

EXAMPLE

  • EU Water Directive Framework - ten river basin districts for effective water managment

  • Key basins such as Severn, Thames, Humber

Environmental Sustainability

  • Reduces flood risk

  • Protects water quality

  • Enhances biodiversity

Social Sustainability

  • Secures water supply

  • Improves recreation and well-being

Economic Sustainability

  • Prevents costly flood damage

  • Long-term cost savings

  • Encourages green infastructure

Challenges

  • Climate change - more extreme weather - may overwhelm drainage basins

  • Urban expansion - increased impermeable surfaces - more run-off

Short term Effectiveness

  • Immediate flood control

  • Improved water quality

  • Faster urban adaption

HOWEVER

  • Quick solutions may not be enough

  • High initial costs

Long Term Effectiveness

  • Sustainable water supply

  • Reduced flood risk over time

  • Economic benefits - investment in sustainable infastructure

HOWEVER

  • Slow implementation

  • Climate change challenges

WATER ALLOCATION FOR DOMESTIC, INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL USE

  • Deciding on how water is shared between domestic, industrial and agricultural practices which can impact the natural cycle in positive and negative ways

  • Agriculture globally account for 70% of water withdrawals and 90% of consumption

Advantages

  • Effective use of resource

  • Prevents over-extraction

  • Supports sustainability by monitoring how much water is being used and where it is being used

  • Encourages innovation - may push industries to be more water efficient

Disadvantages

  • Difficult to enforce

  • May be conflict between uses, especially in water-scarce areas

  • Wealthier industries may get more priority - inequalities

  • Impact on food production if there is less access to water for agriculture

ST Sustainability

  • Quickly improve access to clean water to homes

  • Helps balance water use between cities and rural areas

  • Stabilise economics and prevent water conflict

LT Environmental Sustainability

  • If well managed - protect aquifers, rivers and lakes - help regulate global water cycle

  • HOWEVER poor planning - groundwater depletion - loss of biodiversity

LT Economic Sustainability

  • Improve agricultural productivity, indsutrial growth and human development

  • HOWEVER if mismanaged leads to water scarcity, crop failure and high treatment costs

IMPROVING FORESTRY TECHNIQUES

  • UN and World Bank gather with organisations and govts to fund programmes to protect tropical forests

  • Financial incentives to protect and restore forests - combination of carbon offset and direct funding

Examples:

  • Amazon

    • Amazon Regional Protected Area program - covers nearly 10% of the Amazon Basin

    • Areas are strictly protected

    • Benefits - stabilising regional water cycle, offsetting carbon, supporting forest communities, promoting ecotourism

  • China

    • Loess Plateau Watershed Rehabilitation Project - restore forests and manage water cycle

    • Afforestation, reforestation, bans of deforestation and grazing

    • Reduced surface run-off, increased groundwater recharge and stabilised land

    • Project supported by the World Bank

Short Term Sustainability

  • Forestry techniques provide immediate benefits by reducing run-off, increasing infiltration and stabilising soils

  • HOWEVER initial costs and time required for trees to mature is limiting

Long Term Sustainability

  • Continue to regulate the water cycle, preventing flooding and droughts, but maintaining biodiversity

  • HOWEVER deforestation pressures, climate change and economic demand for timber can challenge the long term success

Economic Sustainability

  • Long term economic benefits through ecotourism, sustainable timber harvesting and carbon credits

  • HOWEVER, initial investment and maintenance costs may deter widespread adoption espc. in low income areas

Environmental Sustainability

  • Afforestation improve carbon sequesteration, reduce flood risk and enhance biodiveristy

  • HOWEVER, monoculture planations may deplete groudwater resources, reduce biodiversity