Rivers - KQ2 (river basin as a multi-use resource) Flashcards Preview

Physical Geog = Coasts and Rivers > Rivers - KQ2 (river basin as a multi-use resource) > Flashcards

Flashcards in Rivers - KQ2 (river basin as a multi-use resource) Deck (24)
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1
Q

What is the Severn Catchment used for?

A
  • Water supply
  • Industry
  • Agriculture
  • Residential use
  • Transport
  • Power
  • Recreation
  • Flood defence
  • Conservation
2
Q

Water supply for Severn Catchment

A
  • Longest in Britain (catchment = 11,000km2 and pop = 2.3m) = water supply for settlement
  • Controlled releases from Liyn Clywedog Reservoir
  • Mythe water treatment plant
  • 100 million litres/day used for Iron Bridge Power Station
3
Q

Industry for Severn Catchment

A
  • Sand and gravel extraction for Severn Estuary
  • Avonmouth industrial and economic developments
  • Bristol and Gloucester Docks
  • Transport of grain from mills to the estruary
  • Traditionally ironstone and coal transported along river
  • Transport and trade along sharpness canal
4
Q

Residential use for Severn Catchment

A
  • Coventry, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury
5
Q

Agriculture for Severn Catchment

A
  • 80% for forestry and agriculture
6
Q

Transport for Severn Catchment

A
  • 2 major river crossings
  • Severn railway tunnel
  • Several ferries operate
  • River has over 100 crossings (including 54 road bridges, 11 railway bridges, 24 footbridges, 7 farm bridges, 3 tollways, 2 aqueducts and 1 rail tunnel
  • Hampton Loade Passenger Ferry (built in 2004) = UKs only reaction cable ferry
7
Q

Power for Severn Catchment

A
  • Hydroelectric power = Clywedog Power Plant
  • Ironbridge Coal fired power station
  • Nuclear power plant Hinkley point
8
Q

Recreation for Severn Catchment

A
  • Boats and canoeing
  • Paddle streamers since 1986
  • MV Balmoral from Leyney
  • Worcester river cruises between Tewkesbury and Stourpourt
9
Q

Flood defence for Severn Catchment

A
  • Mythe flood alleviation scheme

- Major defences at Tewkesbury, Shewsbury, Bewdley and more towns along river course

10
Q

Conservation for Severn Catchment

A
  • Special Protected Area (SPA)
  • 15 conservation areas
  • 11 National Nature Reserves (NNR)
  • 406 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSRIs)
  • 200 areas for aquatic interest
  • 4 AONB
  • 1000 Scheduled Monuments for historic purposes
11
Q

Why is there a range of human activities for the River Severn?

A
  • Tourism = gorge walking, waterfalls (sightseeing), angling fishing, B&Bs, castles and monuments
  • Reservoirs = high rainfall provides water for towns in lower course of river, V-shaped valleys easu to dam and provide deep reservoirs
  • Settlement = towns built on flat land
  • Agriculture = rich supply of clay and fertile soil due to deposition of silt/clays (alluvium)
  • Flood defences = lowland areas of catchment are prone to flooding
  • Industry = Ironbridge Power Station built on flat land and is close to cities needing an electricity supply
12
Q

What are the conflicts between human activities on the Severn Catchment?

A
  • One activity impacts the other (eg. wildlife is disrupted by motorboats)
  • Two or more activities use same resource (eg. same water needed for irrigation for agriculture and water supply for humans)
  • Activity changes nature of water for another use (eg. industrial water pollution and drinking water)
  • Discharges from sewage works can impact on water quality
  • Concerns over maintain water resources available for people and environment = depleting resource
13
Q

What is the Nile catchment used for?

A
  1. 1 million km^2 long
    - Water supply
    - Industry
    - Agriculture
    - Recreation
    - Power
    - Transport
    - Residential use
    - Conservation
    - Flood defence
14
Q

Water supply for the Nile catchment

A
  • President inaugurated world’s largest water-pumping station in 2006 in Egypt’s Western Desert = pumps 14 million cubic metres/day from Lake Nasser (behind Aswan Dam) to irrigate 200,000 hectares of land
  • 95% of Egypt’s total water needs is for irrigation, industrial and economic activities
  • Tanzania plans to build 105 mile long pipeline from Lake Victoria for over 400,000 people
  • Nile supplies 95% of Egypt’s water and 75% of Sudan’s
  • 65 million people dependant on Nile
15
Q

Industry on the Nile Catchment

A
  • Fishing = tourism due to high climate (9.7 million in 2006/2007 = income)
  • Exploitation of natural oil and gas in Delta
  • Industry = 30% of GDP in 2001
  • Petroleum industry = 40% of export earnings
  • 5.5 million hectares irrigated = farmers has sufficient water for crops = income and food
16
Q

Residential use of the Nile Catchment

A
  • Flat land and water supply = settlements (90% of Egypt’s population on Nile Delta)
  • Population growing rapidly
17
Q

Agriculture on the Nile Catchment

A
  • Cash and subsidence farming dependant on irrigation from Nile (citrus trees, grapes, wheat)
  • Agriculture = 17% Egypt and 55% Ethiopia GDP
  • 5.5 million hectares irrigated
18
Q

Transport on the Nile Catchment

A
  • Cheap bulk transport
  • Rivers = Alexandra, Cairo and Luxor
  • Historically linked Upper and Lower Egypt
19
Q

Power on the Nile Catchment

A
  • Hydroelectric = Aswan Dam
    = Lake Nasser created as Aswan High Dam built = hydroelectricity
    = 45% of electricity planned to be produced (not yet due to evaporation and seepage)
20
Q

Recreation on the Nile Catchment

A
  • Cruises
  • Felucca trips for tourists
  • Sailing
21
Q

Flood defence on Nile Catchment

A
  • Aswan High Dam (1972) prevents flooding downstream
  • 1 metre rise in sea level would destroy cities
  • Sea level is rising at 1m/100 years
22
Q

Conservation on the Nile Catchment

A
  • More than 100 protected areas in 9 cities
  • Lake Victoria Environment Management Project
  • Crocodile conservation projects
23
Q

Why are there a range of activities in the Nile Catchment?

A
  • Water supply = growth of Cairo
  • Water supply = economic activity and tourism (Nile Cruises)
  • Flat land = very fertile = growth of Cairo
  • Settlements can form on flat land near water supply
24
Q

What are the conflicts between human activities on the Nile Catchment?

A
  • Tourism pressure = problems for conservation of Egypt’s historical/cultural sites (Valley of Kings
  • Nile water flows through 10 countries = difficult to agree on water usage
  • Egypt has legal right to 75% and to stop upstream development (which are still happening) = Blue Nile rises in Ethiopia, flows into Lake Tana = Ethiopia has dammed for water and hydroelectricity
  • Conflicts between 2 governments and over 500,000 farmers
  • Industries pollute water by pumping chemical waste = residents lose fish which die and polluted water used for drinking = health issues