USES AND DEGRADATION
CORE CASE STUDY: MIDDLE EAST
 3 RIVER BASINS—
NILE, JORDAN,
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES
 EGYPT—97% OF
WATER COMES
FROM NILE
 ETHIOPIA/SUDAN
PLANNING TO
DIVERT WATER
FROM NILE,
DEPRIVING EGYPT
http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/~tbw/nysid/lecture.not
es/chapter.8/middle.east.map.rivers.jpg
CORE CASE STUDY: MIDDLE EAST
 JORDAN BASIN MOST
WATER-SHORT
REGION
 SYRIA PLANS TO
BUILD DAM TO
DECREASE FLOW
TOWARD
JORDAN/ISRAEL
 ISRAEL SHARING
WATER WITH JORDAN
AND PALESTINE
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/2HX9JNoOKVo/VTPRePeLsuI/AAAAAAAABMw/B9jSfzA6t
vQ/s1600/Jordan-map-sm2.gif
CORE CASE STUDY: MIDDLE EAST
 TURKEY CONTROLS
WATER FLOWING
TOWARD SYRIA/IRAQ
 24 DAMS TO CREATE
ELECTICITY/
IRRIGATION
 35% REDUCTION TO
SYRIA/IRAQ
 SYRIA DAM TO
DIVERT WATER FROM
TURKEY
http://whyfiles.org/131fresh_water/images/mideast.gif
HYDROLOGIC POVERTY
 WATER DISTRIBUTION—PROBLEMS OF




SHARING WATER NEED TO BE SOLVED BY
AGREEMENTS
SLOW POPULATION GROWTH
WASTE LESS WATER
RAISE WATER PRICES TO IMPROVE
IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY
INCREASE GRAIN IMPORTS TO REDUCE
WATER NEEDS
IMPORTANCE OF WATER
 COVERS 71% OF EARTH
 GLOBAL HEALTH ISSUE: LACK OF SAFE
WATER/SANITATION: WORLD’S SINGLE
LARGEST CAUSE OF ILLNESS
 CHILDREN’S ISSUE: DYING PREMATURELY
FROM WATER DISEASE
 ECONOMIC ISSUE: KEY TO POVERTY
REDUCTION, FOOD PRODUCTION,ENERGY
PRODUCTION
IMPORTANCE OF WATER
 WOMEN’S ISSUE: POOR WOMEN/GIRLS
RESPONSISBLE FOR FINDING/CARRYING
DAILY SUPPLIES
 NATIONAL/GLOBAL SECURITY: MIDDLE EAST
TENSION
 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE: EXCESSIVE
WITHDRAWAL FROM RIVERS/AQUIFERS AND
LEADS TO DISAPPEARANCE OF SPECIES,
LOWER WATER TABLES, DECLINING FISH
POPULATIONS, LOSS OF WETLANDS,
DECLINING WATER QUALITY
WATER AVAILABILITY
 ONLY 0.024% WATER SUPPLY AVAILABLE TO
US AS LIQUID FRESHWATER (AQUIFERS,
GROUNDWATER, LAKES,STREAMS, RIVERS
 PLENTY OF WATER ON GLOBAL BASIS BUT
VARIATIONS DUE TO PRECIPITATION
AMOUNTS AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES
 CANADA—0.5% OF GLOBAL POPULATION
WITH 20% WORLD’S WATER
 CHINA—20% WORLD POPULATION WITH 7%
WORLD’S WATER
http://image.slidesharecdn.com/pglecture09-waterresourcesgroundwaterandice-121018010008-
ter-resources-ground-water-and-ice-17638.jpg?cb=1366242385
phpapp01/95/geog-100-lecture-10wa
AQUIFERS
 UNDERGROUND
CAVERNS AND
POROUS, LAYERS OF
SAND, GRAVEL, AND
BEDROCK THROUGH
WHICH
GROUNDWATER
FLOWS FROM HIGH
TO LOW
ELEVATIONS
AQUIFERS
AQUIFERS
 ESTIMATED THAT 100 TIMES MORE
FRESHWATER IN AQUIFERS THAN IN
FRESHWATER LAKES AND RIVERS
 NATURAL RECHARGE: RENEWABLE
AQUIFERS ARE REPLENISHED BY
PRECIPITATION INFILTRATING DOWNWARD
 RECHARGE IS VERY SLOW
SURFACE WATER
 A VERY IMPORTANT RESOURCE
 FRESHWATER THAT LOWS ACROSS LAND
SURFACES INTO RIVERS,STREAMS, LAKES,
WETLANDS
 WATERSHEDS: LAND FROM WHICH SURFACE
WATER DRAINS INTO LAKES, RIVERS,
WETLANDS
USE OF FRESHWATER
 ABOUT 70% OF FRESHWATER WITHDRAWN
FROM RIVERS, LAKES, AND AQUIFERS IS OTE
RETURNED
 70% OF WITHDRAWN WATER EACH YEAR
USED TO IRRIGATE 1/5 OF WORLD’S
CROPLAND AND 40% FOOD PRODUCTION
TOO LITTLE FRESHWATER
 DRY CLIMATE
 DROUGHT (70% LOWER PRECIPITATION AND
HIGHER EVAPORATION
 TOO MUCH USE/WASTE
 LACK OF MONEY TO DRILL DEEP WELLS,
BUILD DAMS AND STORAGE RESERVOIRS
 STRESS REGIONS IN MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS
(MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA)
STRESS AREAS
http://www.rivernet.org/imgs/991129_river_basin_stress.gif
GROUNDWATER DEPLETION
 AQUIFERS PROVIDE ¼ OF WORLD’S WATER
 UNITED STATES—PUMPS ALMOST ALL OF
WATER FROM AQUIFERS IN RURAL AREAS
 37% IRRIGATION WATER
 1/5 WATER AMOUNT IN URBAN AREAS
 DEPLETION DUE TO MORE USE FASTER THAN
RENEWAL CAN OCCUR
WITHDRAWING GROUNDWATER
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
 USEFUL WATER FOR
 AQUIFER DEPLETION




DRINKING AND
IRRIGATION
RENEWABLE IF NOT
USED FASTER THAN IT
CAN BE REPLACED
NO EVAPORATION
CHEAPER TO EXTRACT
AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND
AND ALMOST
EVERYWHERE
 POLLUTION
 SALTWATER
INTRUSION NEAR
COAST
 REDUCED WATER FLOW
INTO SURFACE WATERS
 INCREASED COST AND
CONTAMINATIONFROM
DEEPER WELLS
DAMS AND RESERVOIRS
PRODUCTION OF CHEAP ELECTRICITY
REDUCE DOWNSTREAM FLOODING
YEAR-ROUND IRRIGATION OF CROPLANDS
DISADVANTAGES: DISPLACES PEOPLE AND
DISRUPTS AQUATIC SYSTEMS, DISRUPTS FISH
SPAWNING, WATER LOSS THROUGH
EVAPORATION
 AFRICA’S LAKE CHAD—INCREASED IRRIGATION
HAS SHRUNK LAKE BY 95%
 SOVIET UNION ARAL SEA
 MONO LAKE IN CALIFORNIA




CASE STUDY—COLORADO RIVER
BASIN
 MAJOR RIVER OF SW UNITED STATES AND




ONE OF MOST DAMMED AND MANAGED
RIVERS
HYDROELECTRIC POWER FOR PEOPLE IN 7
STATES (1/10 OF AMERICAN POPULATION
15% PRODUCTION OF LIVESTOCK AND CROPS
RECREATION
WATER SOURCE FOR DESERT CITIES
PROBLEMS WITH COLORADO RIVER
 DRIEST LANDS IN U.S.
 MODEST WATER FLOW
 LEGAL PACTS OF 1922 AND 1944 ALLOCATED
MORE WATER FOR HUMAN USE THAN RIVER CAN
SUPPLY
 WATER LEVEL HAS DROPPED DUE TO
AGRICULTURAL USE AND URBAN USES
 LESS FLOW REACHES GULF—INCREASE SALINITY
OF AQUIFERS, DECREASED SEDIMENTS WHICH
DECREASES COASTAL AREAS, DAMAGING FISH
POPULATION
COLORADO RIVER PROBLEMS
 EVAPORATION AND LEAKAGE FROM RESERVOIRS
CREATING HUGE WATER LOSSES IN LAKE MEAD
RESERVOIRS
 LOSS OF WETLANDS DUE TO SUSPENDED SILT
BEHIND THE DAM
CHINA THREE GORGE DAM
 WORLD’S LARGEST HYDROELECTRIC DAM
 REDUCES CHINA’S DEPENDENCY ON COAL AND
NUCLEAR POWER
 HOLDS YANGTZE RIVERS FLOOD WATERS TO
PROTECT HUMAN POPULATION
 ALLOWS FOR CARGO SHIPS TO TRAVEL INLAND
CHINA THREE GORGES DAM
 DISADVANTAGES
 WATER BEHIND DAM DISPLACES PEOPLE TO
MORE BARREN LAND FOR CROP PRODUCTION
 FLOODING ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL
SITES
 BUILT OVER A SEISMEIC FAULT
CHINA’S THREE GORGES DAM
SOVIET UNION ARAL SEA
 DIVERSION OF WATER FOR IRRIGATION FOR




COTTON AND RICE GROWING
85% WETLANDS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED
HALF LOCAL BIRD AND MAMMAL SPECIES HAVE
DISAPPEARED
MAN-MADE DESERT WITH INCREASED SALT
CONCENTRATION HAS CAUSED EXTINCTION OF
20 OF 24 FISH POPULATION
WINDS SPREAD SALT THAT KILLS WILDLIFE,
CROPS, CAUSING GLACIER MELTING IN
HIMALAYAS
ARAL SEA
 FARMERS HAVE INCREASED FERTILIZER USE,
INSECTICIDES, IRRIGATION TO INCREASE
CROP YIELDS WHICH HAS CREATED
POLLUTION OF GROUNDWATER—MAIN
SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER
 ALTERED CLIMATE—HOTTER SUMMERS,
COLDER WINTERS
 HEALTH PROBLEMS—RESPIRATORY, KIDNEY
DISEASE, CANCER
WASTING LESS
 60% IRRIGATION WATER IS WASTED
 FLOOD IRRIGATION LOSES 40% OF WATER
THROUGH EVAPORATION, SEEPAGE, RUNOFF
(USED ON 97% CHINA IRRIGATED LAND)
• CENTRAL-PIVOT LOW PRESSURE SPRINKLER—
80% WATER REACHES CROPS
• DRIP IRRIGATION—MICROIRRIGATION—MOST
EFFICIENT USING PLASTIC TUBES OR PIPES
INSTALLED AT OR BELOW GROUND LEVEL TO
SLOW DRIP WATER TO PLANT ROOTS
DRIP IRRIGATION
CENTER PIVOT IRRIGATION