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    8 Water

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    Kaone Lakay
    The document discusses the hydrological cycle and water sources in Botswana. It explains the processes in the hydrological cycle and how human activities can disturb it. It describes surface and underground water sources in Botswana and factors influencing water demand. It discusses challenges in providing water and increasing urban water usage. It also covers wetlands and Botswana's wetlands policy under the Ramsar Convention.

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    8 Water

    Uploaded by

    Kaone Lakay
    5 views7 pages
    The document discusses the hydrological cycle and water sources in Botswana. It explains the processes in the hydrological cycle and how human activities can disturb it. It describes surface and underground water sources in Botswana and factors influencing water demand. It discusses challenges in providing water and increasing urban water usage. It also covers wetlands and Botswana's wetlands policy under the Ramsar Convention.

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    The document discusses the hydrological cycle and water sources in Botswana. It explains the processes in the hydrological cycle and how human activities can disturb it. It describes surface and underground water sources in Botswana and factors influencing water demand. It discusses challenges in providing water and increasing urban water usage. It also covers wetlands and Botswana's wetlands policy under the Ramsar Convention.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    5 views7 pages

    8 Water

    Uploaded by

    Kaone Lakay
    The document discusses the hydrological cycle and water sources in Botswana. It explains the processes in the hydrological cycle and how human activities can disturb it. It describes surface and underground water sources in Botswana and factors influencing water demand. It discusses challenges in providing water and increasing urban water usage. It also covers wetlands and Botswana's wetlands policy under the Ramsar Convention.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    GEOGRAPHY DEPARMENT

    WATER

    THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE

    HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE PROCESSES

    a) Intense heating of the ground by the sun in a process called Insolation.


    b) Leading water changing to water vapour/ moisture as Evaporation. Some of the water is
    lost from trees as Transpiration
    c) Warm, moist air rising leading to expansion, cooling and saturation
    d) Condensation takes place leading to cloud formation and water falls down from clouds
    as Precipitation/ Rain
    e) Water flows on the earth’ surface as Surface runoff/ Overland flow to lakes and seas
    f) Water penetrates/sinks into the soil as Infiltration/ Percolation .
    g) Some water flows underground as Through flow in underground streams to lakes, seas
    or oceans.

    HOW HUMAN ACTIVITIES MAY DISTURB THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE


    - Cutting of trees/ Deforestation - reduces transpiration/ increases run off
    - Disposal of waste/ Pollution in rivers -reduces evaporation/ reduces river flow
    -Air pollution - leads to acid rain
    -Damming of rivers - decreases run-off/ increases evaporation
    -Buildings/ tarred roads/ Paving - reduces percolation/ increases run-off
    -Overharvesting of water -reduces evaporation
    -Over extraction/ mining of river sand -reduces river flow/ reduces infiltration

    TWO MAIN SOURCES OF WATER IN BOTSWANA


     Surface water sources
     Underground water sources

    1
    1. SURFACE WATER SOURCES

     Dams e.g Gaborone, Shashe, Letsibogo, Bokaa, Nnywane


     Rivers- both perennial such as Chobe, Okavango and seasonal such as Notwane
     Pans e.g Sua
     Swamps e.g Okavango
     Haffirs- small farm dams
     Streams

    2. UNDERGROUND WATER
     Boreholes
     Wells
     Springs

    FACTORS INFLUENCING WATER DEMAND AND DISTRIBUTION IN BOTSWANA

     Settlement creation
     Population increase/ Urbanization more water for domestication
     Mining

    2
     Increase in Agriculture more irrigation
     Wildlife/ Tourism
     Manufacturing industries

    EXPLAIN WHY IS WATER CONSIDERED SCARCE AND COSTLY TO OBTAIN IN


    BOTSWANA

     Low/unreliable rainfall/recurring droughts – hence limited supply of water


     High temperatures - leading to high evaporation rates/quick water loss
     Flat topography/ relief/ terrain - hence few dam sites/expensive to construct dams
     Deep water table – expensive to extract
     Sandy soils/ porous rocks – hence high infiltration rate/low water retention capacity
     Saline/ salty underground water –therefore expensive to make potable
     Pollution – costly to purify/not suitable for human consumption
     Most of Botswana’s rivers are seasonal – therefore limits supply
     Internationally shared perennial rivers – subject to consultation before use
     Shallow depressions – therefore low water retention capacity
     Increase in population/industries/improved lifestyles/commercialization of agriculture –
    leading to increased utilization

    WHY THE USE OF WATER HAS INCREASED IN URBAN AREAS

     Increase in population/ urbanization/ rural-urban migration


     Increased industrialization
     Increased irrigation/horticulture/backyard gardening
     Increased mining
     Increased social amenities
     Improved lifestyle
     Increase in infrastructure development/urban growth

    WHY RURAL AREAS HAVE A LOWER WATER CONSUMPTION THAN URBAN


    AREAS
     Small population
     Few industries
     Less irrigation
     Low standard of living/ few activities that need water
     Few services
     Fw infrastructural developments
     Limited supply

    CHALLENGES GOVERNMENT MAY FACE IN TRYING TO PROVIDE WATER


     Shortage of capital
     Lack of skills
     Vandalism of water infrastructure
     Population increase
     Poor planning of settlements

    3
     Land use conflicts
     Water sources are internationally shared and there is need for consultation
     Abundant water sources are far from the main demand centres.

    WAYS OF CONSERVING WATER IN BOTSWANA/ WATER CONSERVATION


    STRATEGIES

     Reduce consumption eg. Water-saving toilets etc


     Reuse
     Recycle
     Redirect- harvesting rain water/ use of catchment tanks
     Education on conservation strategies
     Building dams
     Increase water charges/ tariffs
     Mend or repair leaking taps

    PROBLEMS OF WATER AS AN INTERNATIONALLY SHARED RESOURCE

    Water as a resource may be shared by more than one country i.e rivers run through many
    boundaries.

    EXAMPLE

     Limpopo river is shared by Botswana and South Africa


     Okavango river is shared by Botswana, Namibia and Angola
     Chobe river is shared by Botswana and Zambia
     Zambezi river is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia

    PROBLEMS OF SHARING WATER SOURCES


     Damming a river may deny other countries a fair share of water especially downstream
     Pollution in one country may affect the other country as water flows through the river
    source
     Conflicts may arise especially if one country tries to dam
     Ecosystem may be disturbed if one country misuse the water source
     Over extraction of resources (fish/water/reeds/sand) will result in shortage in other
    countries
     Deforestation in one country will lead to flooding in other countries

    4
    WETLANDS

    Wetlands- Areas where water occupy permanently or temporarily, man-made or natural with
    water flowing or static.

    EXAMPLES include

    Perennial rivers like the Okavango, Chobe AND seasonal rivers like Notwane,
    Motloutse etc.
     Dams eg. Gaborone, Bokaa, Letsibogo, Shashe etc
     Pans eg. Makgadikgadi pan, Sua pan
     Lakes eg. L. Ngami
     Swamps and marshes eg. Savuti Marsh
     Delta eg. Okavango delta
     Sewage ponds/ sewage treatment areas eg. Glenvalley sewage ponds
    VALUES/ IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS

     Source of food/ tswii/ fishing


     Irrigation/cultivation
     Transport
     Water supply for domestic use/animals/ industrial use
     Source of raw materials/building materials eg. firewood, thatching grass/ sand
     Habitat for flora and fauna/licks for animals/mineral supplements
     Flood control/protection against natural hazards
     Grazing areas/ pastures
     Ground water recharge
     Tourism/ recreation/ aesthetic value/beauty
     Fertile soils for arable farming
     Fertilizers from sewage ponds

    THREATS TO WETLANDS

     Building of dams/hotels/roads etc


     Deforestation -excessive cutting down of trees
     Veld fires
     Loss of aesthetic value/beauty
     Siltation
     Pollution
     Low rainfall/drought/unreliable rainfall
     High evaporaton rates
     Overgrazing
     Over exploitation of sand/fish/grass/water/trees etc.
     Over supply of nutrients/excessive quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus

    WETLAND DEGRADATION

    Wetland degradation- the unwise use of wetlands which causes destruction to the wetland

    5
    CAUSES OF WETLAND DEGRADATION

     Pollution
     Damming
     Overuse of water
     Overgrazing
     Deforestation
     Veld fires
     Overfishing
     Over-abstraction of sand

    BOTSWANA AND THE RAMSAR CONVENTION

     In 1971 several countries of the world held a meeting in the Iranian city of Ramsar in
    what was later known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in order to come up with
    ways that could help conserve or manage wetlands.
     Botswana is a member of the Ramsar Convention and she has listed the Okavango as a
    wetland of international importance.

    WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR COUNTRIES TO SIGN FOR THE RAMSAR


    CONVENTION?

     Some water sources are trans-boundary or internationally shared and there is need to
    avoid trans-boundary pollution
     To avoid conflict between countries
     To share ideas or expert advice
     To encourage research
     For international recognition/ prestige
     Encourages protection or wise use of wetlands/conservation of wetlands and
    migratory species
     To share water resources with other countries
     For financial assistance
     Development of national wetland policies

    BOTSWANA’S WETLANDS POLICY

    As a member of the Ramsar Convention, Botswana has developed her own wetlands policy and
    the following are the aims of the policy ;

     Protection and sustainable/ wise use of wetlands


     Commitment to proper conservation and management of wetland ecosystems
     Recognize problems of wetlands and their solutions
     Rehabilitation of degraded wetlands
     Promote public awareness/ education on wetland conservation
     Ensure participation by all stakeholders
     Promote linkages between existing policies and legislation

    6
    PRINCIPLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ( EIA )

    EIA – A study carried out before a project is undertaken in order to identify, evaluate, predict and
    mitigate the possible effects of a proposed project on the environment.
    EIA is very relevant and applicable to today’s developmental projects because it can lead to
    sustainable development.

    PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH EIA


     Roads, airports, railway line, shopping malls, schools, hospitals, mines, dams, factories,
    major pipe lines and power stations. etc.

    ADVANTAGES OF EIA

     It is a tool for environmental protection/sustainable development/conservation


     Education
     Provides decision makers with comprehensive assessment of the environmental
    implications of a proposed project
     It predicts unforeseen problems
     It assesses social consequences of the project/ assess effects on people
     Reduces unnecessary expenses

    DISADVANTAGES OF EIA

     It is costly
     It requires specialist skills
     It delays development
     It is an obstacle to development because projects may be cancelled or postponed e.g
    Namibia versus Botswana over Namibian plans to dam the Okavango river
     May lead to conflicts
     Time consuming

    SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT- Refers to development that is aimed at meeting the needs


    of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own.
    CHARACTERISTICS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

     Conservation
     Poverty alleviation
     Education
     Equal distribution of resources/ equality
     Provision of services for all
     Increased food production
     Controlled population growth
     Industrial growth

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