Conflicts

1. Kahoot quiz
• Have a go at the Quiz here in the Geofile that
you read for HW and last lesson
• https://play.kahoot.it/#/?quizId=0348d73e-
9ee1-46bb-89d6-e37e324a0981

2. Water Conflicts

3. Demand exceeds supply
• When demand for water overtakes supply
there is the potential for conflict.
• Competing demands for irrigation, power
generation, domestic use, recreation and
conservation can also create tension both
between and within countries.
• This is know as a pinch point …

4. • Figure 12

5. Demand exceeds supply
• However, between 1950-2000, out of the 2000
international disputes, only 25% led to any conflict. These
were about the quantity of water available (75%) and the
impact of dams (25%).
• Conflict is more likely in developing nations where water is
vital to feed struggling growing populations and promote
industrial development.
• On the other hand some countries have worked together to
secure the supply of water for everyone. E.g. The Mekong
River Commission which worked with Thailand, Laos,
Cambodia and Vietnam and dealt with HEP, flood control
etc. HERE
• Also see the video here from Perkins – Mekong from 12.20

7. Trans-boundary water Conflicts
• The trans boundary basins and aquifers link
populations of different countries and support
the incomes and livelihoods of hundreds of
millions of people worldwide
• Politicians and map
makers have not helped
as boundaries and
boarders do not fit with
river catchments or
aquifers.

9. Trans-boundary water Conflicts
• The trans boundary basins and aquifers link
populations of different countries and support
the incomes and livelihoods of hundreds of
millions of people worldwide
• Politicians and map
makers have not helped
as boundaries and
boarders do not fit with
river catchments or
aquifers.

10. Trans-boundary water Conflicts
• Approximately 40% of the world’s population
lives in river and lake catchments that fall
across two or more countries, and over 90 %
live in countries that share basins.
• About 2 billion people worldwide depend on
groundwater, which includes approximately
300 trans boundary aquifer systems.

11. Case Study 1: Trans boundary conflicts – Teesta
River (India and Bangladesh)
• 54 rivers shared
between the
countries.
• Indian Government
control the flow of
the Teesta River.
Video
• 315km in India

12. Case studies

13. Your Turn - Research
• In pairs choose ONE example below and produce a one sided fact file on the case
study. These can then be shared with the rest of the class. Try to include a map
and LOTS of DETAIL that you have researched and found out.
Location Reason for conflict / pressure point
Tigris –
Euphrates
Turkeys GAP project will take a lot of water before it goes downstream and
Syria also building dams along the river. (p70-71 Parrot) (BETWEEN)
Ganges –
Brahaputra
Faraka barrage has reduced flow into Bangladesh from India (p48-9 normal
text book) (BETWEEN)
Colorado
Basin
Different states demand different uses and therefore volumes of water from
the river. (WITHIN) p49-52 normal text book
Murray
Darling Basin
Huge issues in Australia of over abstraction by farmers in NSW along the
river (WITHIN) (p82 and 86 Parrot)