Edexcel A-Level Geography 20 mark essay titled 'evaluate the extent to which some approaches to future water supply management are more sustainable than others'. This essay was given 20/20 which equates to an A*.
Evaluate the extent to which some approaches to future water supply management are
more sustainable than others [20 marks]
The sustainable management of water supplies entails meeting present needs without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this sense, water
sustainability can be considered synonymous with long-term water security. In order for a
water management strategy to be deemed sustainable, it must be characterised by
equitable distribution, public participation, high standards of environmental protection and
durability. In this essay, I will be evaluating the extent to which some approaches to future
water supply management are more sustainable than others.
Water supply management strategies can be categorised as either hard or soft, with hard
approaches centring around an expensive technological fix. One example of this is the
construction of mega dams, as seen in China with the world-renowned ‘Three Gorges Dam’.
The function of a dam is to act as a barrier that restricts the flow of a river to form a
reservoir of water. This is also done in an attempt to regulate a river’s discharge and, in
some instances, generate hydroelectric power (HEP). The ‘Three Gorges Dam’ was
constructed in order to control flooding on the Yangtze River as well as to enable surplus
water to build up and be diverted to northern China via the ‘South-North Water Transfer
Project’ – another example of a hard approach to water management. Some regard mega
dams as sustainable as they have the capacity to benefit large populations. For example, the
‘Three Gorges Dam’ generates electricity via HEP which is vital for China’s growth as an
emerging superpower. Furthermore, some view this strategy as an effective way of
redistributing water supplies proportional to where it’s needed to avoid water insecurity
during periods of deficits. In this instance, water is transferred to the more populated yet
significantly drier north – the Beijing region contains 35% of the population but receives
only 7% of China’s annual rainfall. This is particularly important as the north of China is very
productive with 40% of its arable land and so effectively the dam also reduces the risk of
food shortages as well by providing water for irrigation. Lastly, as with most hard
engineering projects, dams have relatively long lifespans of about 50 years. Despite these
points, dams are also considered unsustainable for many reasons. Firstly, they’re not
particularly eco-friendly as they significantly disrupt the dynamics of natural ecosystems.
This is because they require large areas of land to be flooded (e.g., 632 km2 for the ‘Three
Gorges Dam’), trap sediment and reduce the nutrient quality of downstream water.
Moreover, as seen with the ‘Three Gorges Dam’, they release vast quantities of methane (a
greenhouse gas) when decomposing vegetation pass through the turbines. Secondly, with
the environment being one of them, dam projects produce many ‘losers’ with sizeable
communities being displaced for their construction. Near ‘Three Gorges’, 1.3 million people
were forced to relocate with many moving to cities. This then leads to the exacerbation of
pre-existing issues such as overpopulation, congestion and a poor access to services (e.g.,
housing, healthcare etc.). Additionally, mega dam projects are not considered to be bottom-
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