7.4.1
Hard Engineering Schemes
Water Transfer
Water Transfer
Water transfer is one example of a large-scale hard engineering scheme that tries to provide a techno-fix to water disparity.
South-North water transfer: China
South-North water transfer: China
- China’s South-North Water Transfer Project aims to deliver 25 billion m3 of freshwater per year to the drier north by two routes (central and Eastern). A third western route is currently being planned.
- As 2/3rd of the farmland are in the North and 80% of the water is in the south, this provides a perfect opportunity to distribute the water to ensure agriculture and water security for the nation.
Cons: economic
Cons: economic
- The Water Transfer is expensive - estimating to cost around US$80billion in 2015. This is before maintenance costs and water prices are considered.
- It is likely to be too expensive for the farmers, resulting in them continuing to use groundwater despite the scheme.
Cons: environmental
Cons: environmental
- Transferring water via Water Transfer does not address the main causes of water shortages in the North. The North has a limited water supply because of the pollution of water sources, water inefficient agriculture and poorly managed use for industry.
- By removing water from the Yangtze it may further reduce discharge levels. The impacts for the river ecosystems will be devastating, in addition to those already caused by the Three Gorges Dam.
Mega Dams
Mega Dams
Mega dams (e.g. the Three Gorges Dam) are a hard engineering scheme that cost a significant amount of money and have controversial socio-economic and environmental effects.
The Three Gorges Dam pros
The Three Gorges Dam pros
- The Three Gorges Dam is designed to control flooding on the River Yangtze and improve the supply of water by regulating the flow.
- The Dam would also benefit locals by providing HEP energy and making the river navigable. This was crucial for the economic development in China to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, in particular, coal.
- The water held back by the Dam can also contribute to the water being transferred by the South-North Water Transfer.
The Three Gorges Dam cons
The Three Gorges Dam cons
- 632km2of land was flooded, including 1,500 villages and towns to form the reservoir behind the dam.
- 1.3 million Chinese residents were relocated and the local history from those villages was lost.
- Water quality is poor because of the surface runoff allowing industrial waste, sewage and agricultural chemical runoff to enter into the Yangtze further upstream.
- Ecosystems were flooded and destroyed, leaving animals without a habitat. Vegetation decay led to the release of methane.
Desalination Plants
Desalination Plants
Desalination plants provide an effective way of removing the salt from seawater to produce clean safe drinking water. The process is both financially expensive and energy extensive.
Desalination plants: Israel
Desalination plants: Israel
- The source of salt water for Israel's desalination plants is the Mediterranean Sea.
- By 2013, Israel had five fully functioning desalination plants.
- By 2020, Israel aims to supply 70% of its domestic water supplies from desalination plants.
Pros
Pros
- Desalination plants provide a supply of water that is both reliable and predictable.
- The desalination plants are able to produce up to 600 tonnes of clean drinking water an hour.
Cons
Cons
- Desalination plants are so energy exhaustive that each plant needs its own power station.
- The by-product of the salt water is brine (a very salty liquid), which can be extremely damaging to the environment.
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power
9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry
9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power
9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil
9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia
9.2.6Emerging Powers - India
9.2.7Theories of Development
9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road
9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms
9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Jump to other topics
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power
9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry
9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power
9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil
9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia
9.2.6Emerging Powers - India
9.2.7Theories of Development
9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road
9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms
9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
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