Geography

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  • Created by: Megan
  • Created on: 17-04-13 20:14

Economic Advantages/Disadvantages

Advantages

  • Hydro electric power produced. Provides power for growing cities eg Las Vegas.
  • Cheap electric for industry
  • Power used to pump water over the rocky mountains to phoenix. This has lead to expansion.
  • Increase in agriculture. Farmers have increased their yields.
  • Transport. Provides new links between Nevada and Arizona

Disadvantages

  • Desalination plant built in Mexico which was expensive.
  • Crop surplus, thus affecting crop prices
  • Increased traffic congestion.
  • Terrorist threats.
  • New expensive bridge
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Environmental Advantages/Disadvantages

Advantages

  • Huge artificial lakes act as sancturies for waterfowl such as pintail.
  • The land was useless before.
  • Clean water which is a) better for your health.

                             b) more suitable for drinking and irrigation as sediment stays on river                                  bed. 

                             c) Renewable and pollution free.

Disadvantages

  • Sediment is trapped behind the dam. Requires dredging which is costly.
  • Salinisation is ruining the soil.
  • Natural landscape has been lost.
  • Water evaporates leaving salt which means farmers have to use more fertilisers.
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Social Advantages/Disadvantages

Advantages

  • Huge artificial lake has increased tourism. 8 million visitors per year.
  • Lake Mead is a popular caravan destination.
  • Prevents some flooding as snow melt is controlled.
  • HEP has meant cities have expanded.

Disadvantages

  • Still some flooding.
  • Salinity level increasing which causes problems downstream for example at the mouth of the gulf of California. The saline levels are high so mexicans can't use the water :(
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Political Problems

  • Each state requires water. In the 1922 compact 6 states signed it to share out the water. 
  • California gained the most as it had the largest population.
  • When the allocations of water were calculated it was based upon a rainy year so water was exaggerated.
  • Some states were not left with enough water becuase the figures were wrong.
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Factors considered when locating a dam

Human

  • Consider the are behind the dam incase of flooding
  • Consider the flooding of historical sites etc ancient burial site.
  • Consider the workforce.
  • Consider the distance to farms/urban areas for HEP or irrigation.

Physical

  • Deep, narrow valley to reduce cost of building it. Narrow valley =smaller surface area for evaporation.
  • Strong, impermeable rock such as granite.
  • Not on tectonic plates.
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Site and situation of Edinburgh

Site

  • Built around and on the crag and tail. This was a good defensive site when the castle was built as it was hard to climb and the loch also protected the castle.
  • Plenty of open space for expansion over the moorland.
  • Lots of hills and hollows which means there are a lot of green spaces which gives Edinburgh a nice appearance.

Situation

  • Has a good central location as several main roads meet from London, Aberdeen and Glasgow.
  • Good airport, railway and port for importing goods in the past.
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Distribution of cities in the UK

  • Around the coast a) for trade- London for trading with Europe. Glasgow with America
  •                           b) for fishing and oil- Aberdeen
  •                           c) ship building- Glasgow
  • Near rivers for transportation of raw materials and communication.
  • Access to raw materials such as coal and iron- Glasgow
  • Historical/Political purposes- Edinburgh and London
  • In southern areas because the land is flatter.
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Distribution of cities in Sao Paulo.

  • Along the coast for fishing and trading- Rio de Janeiro.
  • New little settlements have located along the trans Amazon highway.
  • Planned cities- Brasilia
  • Inland settlements developed as route centres for coffee trading.
  • Near the coast because most of the land is covered with dense vegetation and has poor infrastructure.
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