Environmental Aspects of Bulk Water Transfer Schemes

8/12/2019 Environmental Aspects of Bulk Water Transfer Schemes

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Environmental Aspectsof Bulk Water Transfer

SchemesGroup 3


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Bulk Water Transfer

What do we mean by bulk water transfer?

Why transfer water?

Are there potential environmental impacts of bulk

water transfer?


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Scope

We are only concerned with ESSENTIAL water transfer. Not watertransfer for commercial interest.

We avoided cross border, international transfers.

Case studies as the basis of the discussion:

1. China North/South transfer project

2. River Reversal in Siberia3. Water supply in Melamchi, Nepal.

4. Spain Inter-Basin transfer


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Chinas South-NorthWater Transfer


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Description:


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Environmental Impacts:


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Conclusion:


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Russia River Reversal


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Introduction

Where 80% of the countrys population, has only 8 % of waterresources.

The idea of somehow turning Siberias northward-flowing riverstoward the south has been debated for decades.

Description

Main proposal in the late 1960s

At least a dozen rivers reversed

Use of nuclear explosives to blast out a 70-mile canal

Dams and pumping houses to be constructed Scheme was abandoned in the 1980s

Would have been the grandest engineering project of all time

Would have taken 50 years to complete (estimated)

E i t l I t


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Environmental Impacts

Land use due to the redirected rivers and infrastructure Consequences on local community and ecology

Loss of the cultural heritage and potential for archaeological studies

Thousands of lost homes Towns and villages would disappear

Removal of water courses Closing of ports

Would wreck fisheries

Negative impact on the Arctic Could get saltier, meaning the freezing point will drop, and the icecaps will melt

Or the reduced northward flow could reduce the temperature and cause the ice toexpand

In either case, there would be major climatological repercussions

Nuclear exposure Explosions to create the canal route

Claims would produce no dangerous fallout

However included use of devices of 100 to 200 kiloton (20 kilotons = Hiroshimabomb)


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Environmental Impacts

Irrigation

Extra food production could provide food for 200,000,000 people.

Expenditure

Estimated cost of at least $40 billion.

Revenue

There were arguments that the large expenditure would pay off handsomely.

Grain production would increase by 18% to 35%.

Dams allows the introduction of hydroelectric power plants.

Rejuvenate two major inland seas, increasing the water population, allowing formore fishing.


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Conclusion

Would offer substantial benefits

But also very adverse economic, environmental, and ecologic effects

Due to the size of the project it is difficult to compare the benefits andcosts

However it is likely that the environmental impact of such a scheme is

severe, and this is likely why the scheme was abandoned.


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Melamchi Water SupplyProject (MWSP)


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Description:

Developed as aresponse to shortage

of drinking water facedby Nepals capital,

Kathmandu.

Involves divertingwater from MelamchiRiver to the watersupply network ofKathmandu valley.

Plan to meet city waterdemand for the coming

25 years.

MWSP 5 i


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MWSP5 maincomponents:

Melamchi Diversion

SchemeWater Treatment Plant

Bulk Distribution System

Rehabilitation of WaterSupply DistributionNetworks

Rehabilitation of SewerageSystem and Waste WaterTreatment Plants

Construction works:

26 km long tunnel

15 km main access road

25 km access road to thetunnel sites

33 kV power transmissio

line (approx. 45 km) WTPcapacity 170 Mld

Approx. 58 km of mainpipe line and 15reservoirs


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Environmental impacts:

Soil erosion, sedimentation

and waste disposal

(excavation, mining activities

waste disposal from WWTP)

Change in river hydrology

and water quality

(main impact - operation phase,

most significant effect is duringthe dry season)

Change in land use

(permanent and temporary loss

of land use301.83 ha)


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Socio-economic impacts(negative):

Loss of land affects theresidents who depend on

agriculture to support theirlivelihoods

Decrease in wateravailability for irrigation,

operation of micro-hydroand water mills

Socio-economic impacts

(positive): Safe and sustainable

water supply to thepopulation of Nepalscapital

Improve the sanitaryconditions of Kathmanduvalley

Employment opportunities

Growth in tourism

New businessopportunities in the area

C l i


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Conclusion:

Melamchi Water Supply Project has been developed due to theincrease water demand in Kathmandu

The construction of the diversion scheme, water supplyinfrastructure, WTP and WWTP has detrimental impacts uponenvironment, affecting soil, water quality and biodiversity.

However, developers consider that these are a necessarycompromise for the socio-economic benefits brought to thepopulation.

The most important aspect is the supply of clean water to

communities, which improves health and sanitation.


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Spain Inter-BasinTransfer

D i ti


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Description:

Spain has only been able to utilise 8% of natural resources inthe past (without storage facilities)

With storage facilities Spain have been able to use 40%, notenough compared to other countries.

Problems

Very dense urban population

Hydrology Planning and Management of Water Resources

E i t l I t


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Tagus-Sagura Transfer

Developed in 1978, 268km of pipeline through 4 provinces Was introduced to solve water deficit and provide irrigation and

water resources

Problems

Effected flow regime

Degrade ecological surroundings

Effluents not being treated correctly

Increase in chlorides due to agricultural runoffs



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Ebro River Inter-Basin Transfer

Proposed in 2001 under the Spanish Hydrological Plan

Planned to serve many metropolitan areas (Barcelona), wasestimated to cost4.2 billion

Problems

Increase in demand from agricultural sector

Effect on fisheries, habitat and wildlife

Untreated pollutants

Breakdown of natural integrity of river basins

Decreased flow

C l i


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Conclusion:

The Targus-Sagura was needed in a time of high water scarcity

There was little regulations which allowed the system to betaken advantage of

Ebro River project was under political and economic pressures

The regulations on environmental aspects of the project showthe effect on public opinions and political decisions.


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Bulk Water Transfer

Overall Conclusion

Ill do this bit when Ive heard what everyone else is going to


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Ill do this bit when Ive heard what everyone else is going to

say.

Im probably going to say something like.. Each project has

unique problems, environmental stuff should be the foremostconcern for any project of this scale, we can learn from casestudies how to mitigate and legislate against E.Impacts infuture projects.

Environmental Aspects of Bulk Water Transfer Schemes

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