a. Find out about Alabama water supply and how the water is used (agriculture, i
ID: 803100 • Letter: A
Question
a. Find out about Alabama water supply and how the water is used (agriculture, industry, domestic users, others).b. What are the likely to be the trends in its use over the next 50 years due to population changes,, changes in agriculture, or industrial activity?
c. What are the possibilities for increased supply and how might these be affected by climate change? a. Find out about Alabama water supply and how the water is used (agriculture, industry, domestic users, others).
b. What are the likely to be the trends in its use over the next 50 years due to population changes,, changes in agriculture, or industrial activity?
c. What are the possibilities for increased supply and how might these be affected by climate change?
b. What are the likely to be the trends in its use over the next 50 years due to population changes,, changes in agriculture, or industrial activity?
c. What are the possibilities for increased supply and how might these be affected by climate change? b. What are the likely to be the trends in its use over the next 50 years due to population changes,, changes in agriculture, or industrial activity?
c. What are the possibilities for increased supply and how might these be affected by climate change?
Explanation / Answer
a) Water supply and Usage : Alabama
Fresh water is Alabama's greatest asset. The main supply of fresh water is provided by the state's many rivers and streams and abundant rainfall. This abundance of fresh water finds its way into usage for electricity generation, thermonuclear power plant cooling, navigation, recreation, consumption and commercial and industrial needs. Besides human usage, the Alabama waterways also provide as a productive freshwater ecosystem for some of the most biologically rich and diverse plant and animal communities in North America.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that approximately 10 percent of the fresh water resources in the continental United States, originate in or flow through Alabama. Atleast one-sixth of Alabama's land surface area is comprised of numerous lakes, reservoirs, ponds, wetlands, estuaries and flowing rivers. The state surface receives water supply from over 14 river basins of rivers or river channels flowing through it. Alabama has no natural lakes, hence all the lakes and reservoirs have been created through dam construction. Most of these dams were constructed to facilitate the production of electricity, improve navigation, optimise water supply for agriculture, industry and drinking water. Large reservoirs are also designed to control floods and provide a range of recreational activities; whereas smaller reservoirs are designed mainly to provide potable water to the neighboring communities. Alabama has an excellent supply of groundwater from a variety of aquifer systems. There are limestone aquifers in the Tennessee River Valley capable of supplying high rates of water. The Geological Survey of Alabama has estimated that there are 19 major aquifers beneath the surface that contribute to the ground water supply of freshwater. Most of these aquifers have been qualified as good and potable water except a few highly mineralized waters in western Alabama.
The major usage of fresh water in Alabama is for drinking water. The river ways have been accessible for navigation for many years now. There are many river ways, coastal areas and estuaries that have found to be good fishing grounds. Commercial catfish farming has been a rising industry in these areas during the past 40 years. Hydroelectric power generation occurs at 21 dam sites in the state which provides more than 10 percent of Alabama's power consumption. 78 percent of the unpurified fresh water is used to cool the thermonuclear power plant facilities. Self sufficient industries use upto 10 percent of the fresh water , 8.6 percent of the whole fresh water is used as drinking water and 3 percent for agriculture.
b) Trends in future usage of fresh water: Alabama
Alabama's water resources are plentiful indeed, but they are not unlimited. Alabama is experiencing urbanisation and development like any other state in the United States. Rapid population growth, urban and suburban development, and a changing climate would mean that the Alabaman population can no longer take their unlimited water resources for granted. Having clean water in sufficient supplies to meet the human needs while still having enough water to flow through the rivers to keep the forests and ecosystems alive would be the major concern in future. This will depend on several things like
Stewardship of the natural areas of land and water that keep supplies of the fresh water flowing through Alabama.
Conservative use of existing water supplies
Reduction and eliminating the pollutants that make the fresh water unstable
With reasonable planning, careful stewardship and conscientious monitoring activities to protect and maintain the high qualityof water resources, Alabama should have adequate water resources of clean fresh water into the foreseeable future.
c) Possibilities for increased water supply : Is it affected by climate change?
The main sources of fresh water in Alabama state is from its many rivers and through its ground water.
The increase in surface water supply would be due to flooding of the rivers flowing through the Alabama State. Rapid Climate has been reason for causing a lot of extreme weather. Especially in hurricane season, the hurricanes can come up to the coast of Alabama and push water inland through the esturian waters, hence increasing the supply of fresh water into its flow systems. The rainfall and precipitation associated with such weather will fill up all of its reservoirs and lakes increasing the amount of fresh water available for use.
The increase in ground water supply would be a result due to the increase in water into the aquifers that are connected to the coastal waters. Increase in global temperatures has led to rising sea level and this puts more hydrostatic pressure into these aquifers allowing salt water to get intruded into these groundwater aquifers resulting in the salt content near the aquifers near the coast of Alabama.
All the best :)
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