SL Paper 2
The diagram shows the inputs, outputs, stores and transfers that occur within a drainage basin as an open system.
[Source: adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/rivers/images/basin/diag_processes.gif]
Identify two transfers and two stores shown in the diagram.
Explain three ways in which human activity can reduce the time taken for water to pass through the system.
Examine how an international conflict has arisen as a result of competing demands for freshwater.
The graph shows the supply and demand for water in an unnamed country from 1990 to 2015.
[Source: adapted from an edited version of Water Pollution Control – A Guide to the Use of Water Quality Management Principles (1997), WHO/UNEP]
Describe the trend in water shortage between 1990 and 2015 shown on the graph.
Suggest possible reasons for the changes in supply between 1990 and 2015 shown on the graph.
Analyse two competing demands for water in a named river basin.
Referring to one or more examples, examine the environmental effects of ground water abstraction and irrigation.
The diagram shows the response of a stream in an urban area compared with that of a stream in a neighbouring forested area after the same rainstorm event. (The basins are of similar size and drainage density.)
[Source: www.mdsg.umd.edu/images/uploads/siteimages/CQ/V07N2/urban_forest_hydrograph]
Describe four differences between the two hydrographs shown on the diagram.
Suggest reasons why the urban and forested hydrographs show different responses to the storm event.
With reference to a named river flood event, examine the relative importance of natural and human causes.
Draw a labelled diagram to show the main features of an artesian basin.
Explain the environmental impacts caused by groundwater abstraction.
Evaluate the success of the management strategies used in one named wetland area.
The diagram shows two transport processes that operate in a river channel.
Identify and describe process A and process B shown in the diagram.
Draw a labelled diagram to show the main input, outputs, transfers and stores of the hydrological cycle for an un-vegetated drainage basin.
“Of all the impacts of agriculture on water quality, salinization is the most damaging.” Discuss this statement.
(i) Define the term stream discharge.
(ii) State two river transport processes and outline how each process operates.
Explain how hydrographs can be used to forecast and manage flooding.
Examine the possible impacts of the mismanagement of groundwater resources.
Draw a labelled diagram of a hydrograph.
Explain how hydrographs are used to forecast floods.
“Dams and reservoirs create as many problems as they solve.” Discuss this statement with reference to multi-purpose schemes.
Explain three factors that may produce a short time lag on a storm hydrograph.
Compare the effectiveness of alternative stream management strategies, other than dams.
The diagram shows the changes in a river channel following implementation of a management strategy.
Define the term stream discharge.
(i) State the direction towards which the river is flowing at B.
(ii) State three changes to the river channel that result from this management strategy.
(iii) Explain one benefit and one problem for people that might result from this management strategy.
Examine the benefits and problems of different river management strategies (other than that shown in the diagram).
The map shows the location of the Danjiangkou Dam on the Han River in China. The graphs show the sediment loads at three places (A, B, C) downstream of the dam.
[Source: Nick Middleton (1999), The Global Casino, Arnold]
State the year when the highest sediment load occurred.
State the volume of sediment load in that year at Huangzhang.
Identify three ways in which the load of a river is transported and briefly describe one of these ways
Referring to the map and graphs, explain how the construction of the Danjiangkou Dam affected sediment loads along the Han River.
Examine the influences of physical factors and human activity on a specific river flood.
The diagram shows a river floodplain.
[Source: John Clague and Bob Turner, (2003), Vancouver, City on the Edge, Tricouni Press, page 74]
Referring to the diagram, briefly describe two floodplain management strategies.
Explain how human activities on a floodplain can increase the probability of flooding.
“Eutrophication is the most damaging agricultural impact on water quality.” Discuss this statement.
Outline how water is transferred through a drainage basin by:
(i) infiltration;
(ii) throughflow.
Suggest how a change in the balance of water stored in oceans and ice could result in:
(i) one environmental consequence with positive effects for people;
(ii) one environmental consequence with negative effects for people.
“The benefits gained from the construction of large dams outweigh any costs.” Discuss this statement with reference to one or more major dams.
The diagram shows the main features of the hydrological cycle.
[Source: http://allritewaterconditioning.com/prosite/Whats_In_your_Water]
Describe two conditions at point A which would make infiltration rates higher than at point B.
Explain the consequences of a decrease in the amount of water stored in ice in the hydrological cycle at any stage.
“Strategies adopted to meet the competing demands for water are not always effective.” Discuss this statement with reference to one named river basin.
Describe two characteristics of natural levées.
Define the term wetlands.
Explain two reasons why some wetlands are protected.
“Multi-purpose schemes result in more benefits than problems.” Discuss this statement, referring to both physical and human impacts.
Outline two ways in which sediment is transported by a river.
Using one named example of an international conflict related to freshwater, briefly explain one cause of the conflict.
Using one named example of an international conflict related to freshwater, briefly explain two consequences of the conflict.
Examine how human activity influenced the severity of one named river flood event.
Define the terms drainage divide and wetlands.
Explain how stream discharge is related to channel size and shape.
Using examples, examine the hydrological impacts that can result from the construction of a dam and reservoir across a river channel.
Briefly outline two processes of river erosion.
Explain how irrigation can lead to salinization.
Explain two consequences of salinization for farmers.
Discuss the positive and negative hydrological impacts of dam and reservoir construction.
Outline two environmental problems that may occur downstream from multi-purpose dams.
Define the concept of “maximum sustainable yield” of freshwater.
With reference to one named river basin, explain two strategies that have been adopted to meet competing demands for water.
“The negative consequences of river flooding always outweigh the benefits.” Discuss this statement.
Describe two processes involved in the transport of a river’s load.
Explain two environmental impacts of agriculture on water quality.
“Floodplain management strategies have more costs than benefits.” Discuss this statement.
The map extract shows an area in western Mexico. The scale of the map is 1:250 000 and the contour interval is 100 metres.
Describe the geographical characteristics of the Río Grande de Santiago downstream from La Presa.
Analyse how the freshwater resources shown in box A on the map could be used for different purposes.
“People should not try to prevent rivers from flooding.” Discuss this statement.
The diagram shows some possible water movements in the hydrological cycle.
[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2018]
State the four elements of the hydrological cycle labelled A–D.
State two possible methods of artificially recharging the aquifer.
Explain three possible ways people may modify a river channel to increase the flow of water.
To what extent has the management of one major wetland area been successful?
(i) Briefly outline how the natural recharge of an aquifer takes place.
(ii) State two methods that can be used to artificially recharge an aquifer.
Suggest how three human modifications of a floodplain can help to reduce flooding.
Evaluate the strategies that have been used to resolve competing demands for water in one named river basin
Option A — Freshwater – issues and conflicts
1. The diagram shows the three main sources of freshwater on Earth.
(i) Define the term groundwater.
(ii) Estimate the percentage of groundwater shown on the diagram.
State two major types of natural surface freshwater (other than rivers).
Explain three consequences of a reduction in the volume of ice caps.
Discuss the relative importance of the factors affecting the characteristics of hydrographs.
The diagram shows competing water demands and water conflict in a river basin.
State two possible uses of water for industry.
Outline two possible reasons for the conflict shown.
Explain how a drainage basin functions as an open system.
Compare the importance of river erosion and deposition in the development of floodplain landforms.
The graph shows the number of floods per decade for a river.
(i) Describe the changes in flood frequency shown on the graph.
(ii) Estimate how many more floods occurred in the 1990s than in the 1930s.
Suggest one physical reason and one human reason why the risk of a river flooding can change over time.
To what extent are floodplain landforms the result of river deposition?
The diagram below outlines environmental problems for agriculture associated with the overuse of irrigation water.
State and briefly outline what environmental problem A and environmental problem B could be.
Using one named example, briefly explain one cause and two consequences of an international conflict related to freshwater.
“Natural factors are always more important than human factors in causing a river flood.” Discuss this statement with reference to one named example.
The diagram shows a storm hydrograph for a river.
[Source: © International Baccalaureate Organization 2017]
State the lag time for the storm event shown on the hydrograph.
State how many hours the discharge was over 40 cumecs.
Outline why the rising limb on this hydrograph is steeper than the falling limb.
Explain the formation of two landforms on a river floodplain.
Discuss the environmental consequences of eutrophication and the pollution of aquifers.
Identify possible human factors A and B and possible physical factors C and D.
Explain how two physical factors other than precipitation can affect the magnitude of floods.
“River management strategies always result in unwanted impacts.” Using examples, discuss this statement.
The map shows the distribution of wetland areas in the Americas that have been given Ramsar status. The Ramsar Convention is the convention on wetlands of international importance.
(i) Define the term wetland area.
(ii) Describe the pattern of wetland areas shown on the map.
(i) State one component of agricultural run-off that contributes to the eutrophication of lakes and wetlands.
(ii) Suggest two impacts of eutrophication that can have adverse effects for people.
“The drainage basin is an open system with inputs, outputs, transfers and stores.” Discuss how this knowledge helps people to prevent flooding.
Option A — Freshwater – issues and conflicts
The photograph shows the course of a river that flows into a lake.
Referring to photographic evidence, identify and briefly describe two natural features of the river valley floor clearly shown in the photograph.
Suggest three ways in which humans might modify the floodplain shown in the photograph to reduce flood risk.
“Wetland management strategies are never a complete success.” Discuss this statement, with reference to one named major wetland.
Optional Theme A — Freshwater – issues and conflicts
1. The satellite image shows the area around the Australian city of Rockhampton flooded by the Fitzroy River in 2011.
Briefly describe four possible impacts of the flood on different types of traffic movement in the area shown on the satellite image.
Explain two ways in which agriculture and/or irrigation on flood plains can affect water quality.
Examine the factors that affect the response of a stream hydrograph to a rainfall event.
The map shows the Clutha River and the town Balclutha on the South Island of New Zealand. The scale of the map is 1:50 000 and the contour interval is 100 metres.
Identify and locate two natural river landforms found on the Clutha River’s floodplain.
(i) Briefly explain how one human modification of the floodplain shown in area A (outlined in black) may reduce river flooding.
(ii) Suggest two ways in which the settlement of Balclutha may have led to increased river flooding.
Examine how the environmental impacts of agriculture and irrigation on water quality vary from place to place.