Water in the World
Understanding Global and South African Water Management
This topic starts with the big picture: where Earth's water is found and how it moves through the hydrological cycle. From there, it links global ideas to South African geography by looking at ocean currents, major rivers, floods, and the use of GIS in water management.
Global Water Distribution
Forms of Water
Liquid
Found in oceans and rivers
Solid
Ice caps and glaciers
Gas
Water vapor in the atmosphere
Salt vs. Fresh Water
Salt Water
Primarily found in oceans
Fresh Water
Mostly locked in glaciers and ice caps
The Hydrological Cycle
Liquid to gas
Gas to clouds
Rain or Snow
Water seeps into ground
Flows back to water bodies
Quiz 1 - Water Distribution
What percentage of Earth's water is fresh water
The World's Oceans
Ocean Currents
Warm Currents
Agulhas Current: Warms the eastern coast of South Africa
Cold Currents
Benguela Current: Cools the western coast of South Africa
Importance of Oceans
Fish and marine resources
Influences weather patterns
International shipping
Quiz 2 - Ocean Currents
Which current warms the eastern coast of South Africa
Water Management in South Africa
Major Rivers and Dams
(Gariep) - Longest river
Supplies Gauteng
Border with Botswana/Zimbabwe
Local water supply
Inter-Basin Water Transfer Schemes
Lesotho Highlands
Supplies Vaal Dam and Gauteng
Tugela-Vaal
Transfers water to Vaal River system
Orange-Fish
Irrigation for Eastern Cape
Challenges
Access for rural/urban communities
Contamination of water sources
Leaks and inefficiencies
Quiz 3 - SA Water
Which river supplies water to Gauteng
Floods and Natural Disasters
Causes
Heavy rainfall, saturated soil
Deforestation, poor drainage
Impacts
Case Study
2022 KwaZulu-Natal Floods
Devastating floods that caused loss of life and extensive property damage
Quiz 4 - Floods
Which recent flooding event is studied as a case study in South Africa
Geographical Skills (GIS)
Mapping Wetlands
Identifying and protecting vital ecosystems
Site New Dams
Analyzing optimal locations for water storage
Digital Management
Monitoring water usage and availability
Quiz 5 - GIS
What is GIS used for in water management
Practice & Assess
Practice with these interactive activities.
Match - Water Cycle
Fill - Fresh Water
Only ______% of Earth's water is fresh water.
Fill - Water Project
The ______ Highlands Water Project supplies water to Gauteng.
Word Scramble
G U L H A S A
Key Terms
Key Recap
The key facts to remember are that most of Earth's water is salt water, the hydrological cycle keeps water moving, and oceans strongly influence climate. Learners should also connect these ideas to South African examples such as the Benguela and Agulhas currents, water transfer schemes, and flood case studies.
