TECHNOLOGY AND

CONTEMPORARY
ENVIRONMENTS
WATER RESOURCES
ABEDNEGO ARYEE
DEPARTMENT OF
GEOGRAPHY
RYERSON
UNIVERSITY

FRESHWATER
Surface water
Surface water include the accumulation of
liquid water in rivers, wetlands, lakes, ponds, etc.
- Major rivers in Canada are the St Lawrence and MacKenzie
Rivers

Groundwater
Groundwater originates from accumulation
of liquid water in rock or soil material underground.
- all sub-surface water (e.g. aquifers)
- represents approximately 37 times the total amount of water
contained in rivers and lakes in Canada
- 26% of Canadians depend on groundwater for water supplies

MAJOR RIVERS IN THE WORLD

RESERVOIRS OF WATER

Earths Water Resources

Fresh water constitutes 2.5% of Earths water

supply.
- most of this is in glaciers and ice caps
Provided we manage freshwater resources
responsibly, there is a continuously renewed
supply through the hydrologic cycle
1. Life support system
2. Nutrient recycling
3. Purification of water
4. Heat transfer
5. Redistribution of water
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The Importance of Water

Water as a common link
Water as a source of conflict
Water as a hazard

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HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE

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Human Water Use

Discharge quantity of water withdrawn or used.

Recharge infiltration or percolation of water.

Recirculation water that is used more than once in a

species process, or used one and recycled to another
use.

Water budget the balance between the inflow of

water by recharge and outflow of water by discharge.
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AQUIFER

AQUIFERS

OGALLALA AQUIFER
IN THE USA

It is the largest aquifer

In North America.
Extends 174, 000 sq.
miles under 8 states.
It contains 3 billion
ac-fit in Texas.
In Texas, more ground
water is produced
from the Ogallala than
all other aquifers
combined.

Example of
coastal cities

Recharge
Rates

WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT

Domestic withdrawal

Agricultural water use

Industrial water use

Can the Aral Sea

be saved

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The Aral Sea

Once the fourth-largest lake on Earth
lost over 80% of its volume in 45

years from diversion

Consequences
Lost 60,000 fishing jobs
Pesticide-laden dust from the

lake bed is blown into the air

The cotton cannot bring back the
regions economy

FIGURE 11.13

11-15

HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS
James Bay
The James Bay Hydro-electric Project in Northern Quebec
was constructed to generate revenue for Quebec through
exports of electricity to the United States and attract energy
intensive industries like aluminum and magnesium smelters.
Emerging concerns
1. None of the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
had predicted the appearance of methyl mercury.
2. Pre-construction EIA indicated that the estuarine
fishery is La Grande River was not likely to survive
the development of dams and reservoir. However, the
predicted fish kill did not occur.

GRAND COULEE DAM ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER

THREE GORGES DAM ON THE YANTZE RIVER

TYPICAL DAM

Withgott et al. 2010

BULK WATER EXPORT

Growth and development in the US will require bulk
water export from Canada.
Provincial governments were asked to pass laws
that will ban bulk water exports. It has implications
for NAFTA
Canadian federal and provincial governments strongly
opposed the possibility of major water diversions.
The Sun Belt Water Inc sued the Canadian
government for placing moratorium on water export
to the USA.

BULK WATER EXPORT

The Great lakes charter is a non-binding agreement but
parties agreed to notify and consult each other regarding
possible diversion.

In 1999, the Federal government strategy to address bulk

water export are three fold;
1. International Joint Commission was asked to
provide a legal opinion regarding exports from the
Great Lakes basin.
2. Federal law was to be designed to impose tight
restrictions on water exports.

Trans-boundary Basins Between US and Canada

Source: Fischhendler I. & Feitelson E, 2004

WATER QUALITY
PATHOGENS & WATER-BORNE DISEASES
- Fecal Coliform Bacteria
- Cree First Nations community of Kashechewan
2005. Unacceptable levels of E. coli
- Outbreak of E. coli (Escherichia coli O157:H7)
in Walkerton, Ontario, May 2000
- Cryptosporidium in North Battleford
Saskatchewan in 2001
- Cultural eutrophication in lake Winnipeg
Oligotrophic: poorly nourished
Eutrophic: oxygen depletion in water

Human Water Use

Point sources discharge

substances from a clearly
identifiable or discrete
pathway (e.g. pipe, industrial
site)

Nonpoint sources discharge

pollutants in an unconfined
matter (e.g. runoff from an
agricultural area)

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Freshwater pollution
sources

Source: Natural Resource Canada

SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION

PHYSICAL POLLUTANTS
Thermal water discharges from heat
energy facilities
Sediment discharges & channelization

SEDIMENTS

CHEMICAL POLLUTION
Examples of harzardous chemicals
Eg.-Mirex account for death of Beluga Whales
in Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence.
- Persistent organochlorines (PCBs,
and chlorinated pesticides).

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill at Prince

William Sound (Alaska)

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill at Prince

William Sound (Alaska)

TREATMENT OF CONTAMINATED WATER

Elimination of the source

Monitoring
Primary water treatment
Secondary water treatment
Advanced water treatment

MANAGING WATER
RESROURCES

Input Approach

- This entails an increase in

water supply via new water
sources

Output Approach:

- Increasing efficiency of water usage

- Controlling contamination of existing
sources