Environmental Science – Water resources
The objectives of this assignment are:
1. Discuss pros and cons of irrigation and suggest future approaches and strategies to
manage this sector of water use.
2. Discuss how “megacities” manage their water resources.
3.Learn how to calculate water footprint and to analyze global and national water
savings.

Please answer the following three questions:

1*. Irrigation is on an ecologist’s hit list. Why? Discuss pros and cons for irrigation of an agricultural land. In your opinion what can be done in the future in this sector of global water resources management (give at least 3 suggestions). At least one real world example (irrigated land) should be part of your discussion (10 marks).

2*. Water stress is most vivid in” megacities?, do you agree or disagree with this statement. Why do you say this? Explain the ways in which they contribute or not to the stress. Your explanation should be coupled with at least one real world example such as Mexico City, Mumbai, Tokyo, Lagos, etc. (10 marks)

3*. Water footprint calculations.
Four countries (A, B, C and D) planning to trade rice. All four countries produce rice and virtual water content per ton of the produced rice is estimated to be:
Country A = 1275 m^3/ton
Country B = 2182 m^3/ton
Country C = 5455 m^3/ton
Country D = 3103 m^3/ton

After negotiations among the countries they decided that Country A should sell the rice to Country B and Country C to sell the rice to Country D. They also agreed that the product trade between Countries A and B is 488.100 ton/yr and between Countries C
and D 416.300 ton/yr. After several years of trading in 2016, September 26th UN Water Committee hire you to
analyze national and global water savings between these countries and recommend future trade among these countries. Your report should include the following:

3.1) Calculations of annual national water footprint for the rice (for all countries). You should label these values as a national water loss or national water saving. (2 marks)
3.2) Calculate global water saving (loss) for this product. (2 marks)
3.3) Analyze these results and inform the Water Committee if these two trades are water sustainable. What are your recommendations for the future trades? (4 marks)

Due date is October 18th

* Maximum 1.5 page for question 1 and question 2. Half a page for question 3( calculations
can be handwritten). So, in total 2 pages. Your answers can be double-spaced (or have 1.5
spacing is absolutely required), but NOT single-spaced. Minimum of 2 scientific references
are expected for question 1 and 2 (i.e. scientific books or peer-reviewed journals). Use APA
style for your citation. Font should be easy to read (i.e. times new roman, arial, calibri) with
font size 12. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.

Example reference: IN TEXT
The computer desk is black (Simon et al.2000) or Simon et al.(2000) note that the computer desk is black
Example reference: AT END
Simon A, Currini A. and Darby S.E. (2000). Book Title. Publisher
Simon A, Currini A. and Darby S.E. (2000). Paper title. Journal title. Volume. Issue. Pages.
You absolutely MUST use both in text and end references.

Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences
EES A07
:
WATER
ASSIGNMENT #1
D
r.
Jovan Stefanovic
TA:
Sa
ndrita Cadena
Issued:
Monday
,
September
2
6
th
Objectives:
1.
Discuss
pros
and cons of irrigation and suggest
future approaches and strategies to
manage
this sector of water
use
.
2.
Discuss
how
”
megacities
”
manage their
water resources
.
3.
L
earn how to
calculate water footprint and to analyze global and national water
saving
s
.
P
lease answer the following three
questions
:
1
*
.
Irrigation is on an ecologist’s hit list. Why?
Discuss pros and cons for irrigation of an
agricultural
land.
In your opinion
what can be done in the
future in
this sector of global
water resources management
(give at least 3
suggestions
)
.
At least one real world
example
(irrigated
land) should be part
of your discussion
(
10
marks)
.
2
*
. Water
stress is most vivid in” megacities
”,
do you agree or
disagree
with this
statement
. Why do you say this?
Explain the
ways
in which
they contribute or not to the
stress. Your explanation should be coupled with
at
least one
real world example such
as Mexico City, Mumbai, Tokyo
, Lagos
, etc
.
(
10
marks)
2
3
*
.
Water footprint calculations
.
Four
countries (A, B, C
and D)
planning to trade rice. All four countries
produce rice and
virtual water content per ton of t
he
produced
rice is
estimated
to be:
Country A = 1275
m
3
/ton
Country B = 2182
m
3
/ton
Country C = 5455
m
3
/ton
Country D = 3103
m
3
/ton
After negotiations among the countries they decided
that
Country A
should
sell the rice
to Country B and Country C
to
sel
l the rice to Country D. They also agree
d
that the
product trade between Countries A and B is 488.
1
00 ton/yr and
between Countries C
and
D 416.300
ton/yr.
After several years of trading in 2016
, September 26
th
UN
Water Committee hire
you to
analyze nation
al and global water savings between these countries
and recommend
future trade among these countries
. Your report should include the following:
3.1)
Calculations of
annual
national water
footprint
for the rice
(for all countries).
You
should label these
values as a national water loss or national water saving
.
(2 marks)
3.2)
Calculate global water saving (loss) for this product.
(2 marks)
3.3)
Analyze these results and inform the Water Committee
if
these two trades
are
water
sustainable. What are your recommendations
for the future
trades
?
(4
marks)
Due date is October 18
th
*
Maximum
1
.5
page for question 1
and
question
2
. Half a page for
question
3
(
calculations
can be handwritten)
.
So, in total 2 pages.
Your answers c
an be double
–
spaced (or have 1.5
spacing is absolutely required), but
NOT
single
–
spaced. Minimum of 2 scientific references
are expected
for
question
1
and 2
(i.e. scientific books or peer
–
reviewed journals).
Use APA
style for your citat
ion. Font should be easy to read (i.e. times new roman, arial, calibri) with
font size 12.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Example reference: IN TEXT
The computer desk is black (Simon et al.2000) or Simon et al.(2000) note that the computer desk is black
Example reference: AT END
Simon A, Currini A.
and Darby S.E. (2000). Book Title. Publisher
Simon A, Currini A. and Darby S.E. (2000). Paper title. Journal title. Volume. Issue. Pages.
You absolutely MUST use both in text and end references.