WJEC Key Question
2.1 What physical
factors determine the
supply of water?
NGfL Cymru resources
Introduction - Water
scarcity
Comparison of
perceptions with facts
Suggested activity
After watching a video clip that indicates levels of water availability students are
asked to shade in a blank world map with their current perception of where
there might be shortages of water, and where sufficient water is available.
Pressing the key below the map gives the accepted distribution and students
are then asked to compare their own initial impressions with the given map and
to try to explain any differences.
Pressing the answers button gives some case study information from around
the world.
Students may complete a true false activity.
Climate Australia
The information starts to focus down on the support material area.
Interactive linking of
Australian climate graphs
with global climate types
A simple climate map of Australia is overlain with the location of several cities.
A series of detailed climate graphs are given. In an interactive drag activity
students are asked to identify the city location for each of the unlabelled climate
graphs using the information from the graphs and the map.
Questions direct students to think about availability of water in different climate
zones.
Relief Australia
Map data on relief and
landforms
Students are given a relief map and landform map of Australia and asked to
think about how relief affects the supply of water.
Geology
Resources are supplied which provide data on ground water and surface water.
Australian examples of both are provided.
Students are asked to:
Use the resources to describe and explain the geological factors that make an
area suitable for
1.ground water storage
2. daming
Theoretical and case
study material of
groundwater, Great
Artesian Basin, surface
water.
Physical factors
The support material focuses further on a region within Australia. A bank of
determining water supply
in the Murray Darling
Basin
data illustrates physical factors affecting water supply in the Murray Darling
Basin.
9 moveable data sets as
the basis for an essay.
There are facilities to isolate and enlarge each data set.
Comparisions between different data sets may be made by clicking each box.
This enlarges and moves the data around the page.
Developing the skills of
organising material
Students are asked to
Use the information given to answer the following essay question.
Describe the physical factors determing water supply in a region of your choice.
2.2 How do human
activities influence
water supply and
demand?
Introduction
World mapper of water
consumption
Demographic trends in
Murray Darling Basin
Map, tables Textual data
Economic - Water
consumption in Australia
and the Murray Darling
Basin.
A world mapper is given to show patterns of global world water consumption.
Students are asked
Which regions consume
1. the most, 2. the least water?
What are the reasons for these patterns?
Students are asked to:
Choose the most appropriate graph to visually display the data shown.
Describe the population trends in Murray Darling Basn between 1986-2006.
Suggest how this may influence water supply and demand.
Students are asked to:
Describe the different demands for water in Australia
Describe the changing levels of demand for agriculture in the Murray Darling
Basin
Graphs and tables
Economic - Wine
Growing
Text , newspaper article,
table, graphs, web links
The data focuses further on a specific agricultural use of water – wine.
Students are asked to use the resources to answer the questions
• What are the economic benefits of producing wine for Australia?
• How much water does the wine industry use?
• Does usage vary during the year?
for research
Economic - Tourism in
Australia
•
What are vineyards doing to reduce their water usage during
times of stress?
photographs, table and
graph
Students are asked to use the resources to answer the questions
What attracts tourists to Australia?
What are the economic benefits of tourists for Australia?
How and when would tourists affect Australia’s water supply and
demand?
Conflict
Student group activity to complete research and make a presentation.
Summary of localities
around the world which
may have international
conflict over water and a
print out of international
‘rules’
It is suggested that students divide into groups and chose one region to
research possible international conflict. This may be from the examples given
or own choice of region.
.
 How far does the region conform to the 2004 Berlin Rules on
Water Resources described in article 13?
Summary of causes of
conflict

Give a presentation to the rest of the class on your chosen
region

What other types of water conflict exist?
Students are provided with the start of two mind maps – increasing water
demand, conflicts. They are asked to complete a mind map for each
expanding on the labels given and adding further labels if necessary.
Mind maps for whiteboard
or in printed form.
2.3 How can water
supply and demand be
managed sustainably?
Grey water
Diagram of a New S
Wales home with
drag activity for grey
water. Detailed print
outs answer the
The drag activity leads to students considering the question: Do you think that
“Grey” water is a sustainable way of managing water supply and demand?
questions given
Recycling
development of
advantages and
disadvantages of
recycling water
Groundwater
Video, original Australian
documents on the Great
Artesian Basin
An interactive activity identifies the advantages and disadvantages of recycling
water. Questions and links to further resources lead to the Q
Do you think that Recycled water is a sustainable way of managing water
supply and demand?
Students are given original resources on current water sustainability issues in
Australia and asked to:
Use the video, the brochure describing the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability
Initiative and the exectutive summary that evaluates the sustainability initiative
to:
1. describe the
problems facing the GAB in the 1900s
different demands for water
capping strategy
2. evaluate the future sustainabilty of the GABSI Desalination
Photos, web links to
videos and arguments
Reducing consumption
Links to table,
photographs, brochures.
Water transfer
Snowy river water
transfer scheme.
Students are asked to use the websites to answer following questions:
1. How does desalination increase water supply?
2. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of desalination
as a way of managing water supply and demand?
3. In your opinion, is desalination a sustainable strategy?
Students are asked to use the resources to assess the level of success in
reducing water consumption in Australia.
Students are introduced to a water transfer scheme in the Snowy mountains.
They are given some web links but are encouraged to research the water
Interactive evaluation
activity
transfer project themselves.
The interactive activity lists many impacts and students need to decide whether
these are costs or benefits to both the supply and receiving region.
Answers are available.
Students are asked to further categorise the impacts into economic, social,
environmental.
An essay title is suggested
Use your case study resources and the given web links to outline the costs
and benefits of water transfer.
New storage
interactive graph
2.4 Can sustainable
water supplies be
managed in the future?
Students are asked to describe the graph and use the whiteboard pen to
predict current changes in the level of daming of rivers globally. Answers are
available.
interactive web site
giving real time
information about the
water levels of all the
dams in Australia
Students might like to explore the interactive web site to build up
detailed knowledge of the Snowy river scheme and the Murray Darling Basin.
Specific tasks are also suggested.
interactive activity on the
disadvantages of major
storage schemes
A series of statements on the disadvantages of large storage schemes are
given at the top of the page. Students drag these to the appropriate column, to
categorise the impact into environmental, social, economic.
Sydney's future water
supply report
Students are guided through facts on Sydney’s current water supply, present
and future demands and the issue
maps, graphs,
consultants reports deep
links to current report
over how Sydney will
maintain its water supply
until 2015
Sydney relies on rain fed surface water supplies.
Because of future climate change and the need to minimise risk and cost
Sydney wishes to diversify its water supply.
Consultant proposals are given in graphical form and as a series of links for
more detailed analysis.
In conclusion students are asked:
Assess the future plans for Sydney's water supply.
Outline the advantages and disadvantages of each suggested measure.
Do you consider the proposals to be the most sustainable option?
Can a sustainable water
supply be managed in
the future?
The interactive activity asks students to bring together all their experience and
organise an essay plan which answers the Q
Can sustainable water supplies be managed in the future?
Essay planning
document