transporting water and desalination

1. Transporting Water andTransporting Water and
DesalinationDesalination

2. TOO LITTLE FRESHWATERTOO LITTLE FRESHWATER
 Our water options are:Our water options are:

Get more water from aquifersGet more water from aquifers

Manage river water with dams and reservoirsManage river water with dams and reservoirs

Transport waterTransport water

Desalinate ocean waterDesalinate ocean water

Waste less waterWaste less water

3. TRANSFERRING WATER FROMTRANSFERRING WATER FROM
ONE PLACE TO ANOTHERONE PLACE TO ANOTHER
 Advantages:Advantages:

Makes unproductive areas more productiveMakes unproductive areas more productive

Promotes investment, jobs and strong economyPromotes investment, jobs and strong economy
 Disadvantages:Disadvantages:

Causes environmental harmCauses environmental harm

Encourages unsustainable use of water in drierEncourages unsustainable use of water in drier
areasareas

4. Case Study: The California ExperienceCase Study: The California Experience
 Mono Lake, CA – 1941 water diverted to L.A.Mono Lake, CA – 1941 water diverted to L.A.

1990 – water level dropped 45 vertical feet, lost1990 – water level dropped 45 vertical feet, lost
50% of volume, salinity doubled50% of volume, salinity doubled

Critical nesting area for migrating birds,Critical nesting area for migrating birds,
threatened by predators reaching nesting islandsthreatened by predators reaching nesting islands

Being restoredBeing restored

5. Case Study: The California ExperienceCase Study: The California Experience
 A massiveA massive
transfer of watertransfer of water
from water-richfrom water-rich
northernnorthern
California toCalifornia to
water-poorwater-poor
southernsouthern
California isCalifornia is
controversialcontroversial

6. Case Study: The California ExperienceCase Study: The California Experience
 California is in a multi-year period ofCalifornia is in a multi-year period of
exceptional droughtexceptional drought
L.A. Times Drought Maps
California’s Extreme Drought
Explained

7. Case Study: The Aral Sea DisasterCase Study: The Aral Sea Disaster
 The Aral Sea was once the world’s fourthThe Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth
largest freshwater lakelargest freshwater lake
 Part of former Soviet Union – arid climatePart of former Soviet Union – arid climate

8. Case Study: The Aral Sea DisasterCase Study: The Aral Sea Disaster

9. Case Study: The Aral Sea DisasterCase Study: The Aral Sea Disaster

10. Case Study: The Aral Sea DisasterCase Study: The Aral Sea Disaster
 Water diverted from Aral Sea and two feederWater diverted from Aral Sea and two feeder
rivers mostly for irrigation (esp. cotton and rice)rivers mostly for irrigation (esp. cotton and rice)
 Created ecological, economic and healthCreated ecological, economic and health
disaster:disaster:

Since 1961 water has dropped > 23 meters (75 ft.)Since 1961 water has dropped > 23 meters (75 ft.)

> 90% loss in water volume> 90% loss in water volume

Salinity tripledSalinity tripled

Water is warmerWater is warmer

Desertification of region and changes in vegetationDesertification of region and changes in vegetation

Salinization of soil – can see salt crystalsSalinization of soil – can see salt crystals

11. Case Study: The Aral Sea DisasterCase Study: The Aral Sea Disaster

Dust storms – spread saltsDust storms – spread salts

Salts melting glaciers in HimalayasSalts melting glaciers in Himalayas

Regional climate change due to less waterRegional climate change due to less water

About 85% of the wetlands eliminatedAbout 85% of the wetlands eliminated

About 50% of bird and mammal species goneAbout 50% of bird and mammal species gone

26 of the 32 native fish species extinct26 of the 32 native fish species extinct

Destructive to local economy – no fishing, 20 –Destructive to local economy – no fishing, 20 –
50% decrease in crop yields50% decrease in crop yields

Various human health impacts due toVarious human health impacts due to
contamination of drinking water with salt,contamination of drinking water with salt,
pesticides and fertilizerspesticides and fertilizers

Some improvements since 1999 in partSome improvements since 1999 in part

13. DESALINATIONDESALINATION
 DesalinationDesalination - removing salt from seawater- removing salt from seawater

Expensive – requires lots of energy (solar?)Expensive – requires lots of energy (solar?)

Produces salty wastewater (disposal?)Produces salty wastewater (disposal?)
 Two Methods:Two Methods:

DistillationDistillation – heating saltwater until it– heating saltwater until it
evaporates, condensing evaporated waterevaporates, condensing evaporated water

Reverse osmosis (microfiltration)Reverse osmosis (microfiltration) – uses high– uses high
pressure to force water through a membranepressure to force water through a membrane
filter, leaves salt behindfilter, leaves salt behind

14. DESALINATIONDESALINATION
 > 17,000 desalination plants (2013)> 17,000 desalination plants (2013)
 > 300 million people rely on desalinated> 300 million people rely on desalinated
water for some or all of their needswater for some or all of their needs
 Supplies < 0.3% of world’s demandSupplies < 0.3% of world’s demand

15. Planet 100:
Water Desalination 101
Drinking from the Sea

16. CLOUD SEEDINGCLOUD SEEDING
 Cloud seedingCloud seeding – uses particles of salts, dry– uses particles of salts, dry
ice or various chemicals to act as nuclei forice or various chemicals to act as nuclei for
formation of raindropsformation of raindrops

17. CLOUD SEEDINGCLOUD SEEDING
 Problems:Problems:

Doesn’t work if area is already dryDoesn’t work if area is already dry

No strong evidence it worksNo strong evidence it works

Pollution from seeding chemicalsPollution from seeding chemicals

Legal disputes over who owns cloud waterLegal disputes over who owns cloud water

18. TOWING ICEBERGS OR BAGSTOWING ICEBERGS OR BAGS
OF FRESHWATEROF FRESHWATER
 Ice is freshwater – tow from Arctic orIce is freshwater – tow from Arctic or
Antarctica to dry coastal areasAntarctica to dry coastal areas
 Towing huge bags filled with freshwaterTowing huge bags filled with freshwater

Cost effective?Cost effective?

Environmental impact?Environmental impact?

Provide enough freshwater?Provide enough freshwater?