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The Impact of The Impact of Water in the Water in the Middle EastMiddle East

Essential Question:Essential Question:How do water pollution How do water pollution

and the unequal and the unequal distribution of water distribution of water

impact the Middle East impact the Middle East (Southwest Asia)?(Southwest Asia)?

Standard: SS7G6a. Explain how water Standard: SS7G6a. Explain how water pollution and the unequal distribution of pollution and the unequal distribution of water impacts irrigation and drinking water impacts irrigation and drinking water.water. 22

Activating Strategy:Activating Strategy:Scarcity of WaterScarcity of Water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlWVDcdRVUA

[watch first 3 minutes][watch first 3 minutes]

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What does scarcity What does scarcity mean? With a seat mean? With a seat

partner, discuss another partner, discuss another word for scarcity.word for scarcity.

Physical WaterPhysical WaterScarcity Scarcity ActivityActivity

[optional][optional]

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Interview: Interview: Water Crisis in Water Crisis in the Middle East the Middle East

TaskTask[see resources][see resources]

55

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Where is the Middle Where is the Middle East?East?

We are

hereMiddle East

Let’s examine a few maps of the Let’s examine a few maps of the Middle East in relation to water Middle East in relation to water

supplies.supplies.

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What is the difference What is the difference between a Water-Scarce between a Water-Scarce

Country and a Water-Stressed Country and a Water-Stressed Country?Country?

88

What is the difference between What is the difference between Physical Scarcity and Economic Physical Scarcity and Economic

Scarcity?Scarcity?

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After looking at the After looking at the maps, turn to a partner maps, turn to a partner

and come up with a and come up with a sentence to describe sentence to describe

water in the Middle East.water in the Middle East.

Write your sentence on Write your sentence on your notes handout. your notes handout.

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What do What do these these

graphs graphs show?show?

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Is this Is this going to going to

cause cause problems? problems?

Why?Why?

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The Middle East The Middle East contains 5% of the contains 5% of the

world’s population, but world’s population, but it has less than 1% of it has less than 1% of

the world’s freshwater the world’s freshwater resources.resources.

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•The Middle East is an The Middle East is an aridarid (dry) region where little (dry) region where little rain fallsrain falls

•Rivers are the main source Rivers are the main source of water for drinking and of water for drinking and for power in many for power in many countries in the Middle countries in the Middle EastEast

Think of your physical features Think of your physical features map, how many rivers do you map, how many rivers do you recall being in the Middle East recall being in the Middle East

region we labeled?region we labeled?

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If rivers are the If rivers are the main source of main source of

water, what is part water, what is part of the problem?of the problem?

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•Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Jordan and other Middle East Jordan and other Middle East countries all depend on many of countries all depend on many of the same water resourcesthe same water resources

•The existing ground and surface The existing ground and surface water resources are not enough water resources are not enough to meet the needs of everyone to meet the needs of everyone [drinking water, irrigation of [drinking water, irrigation of crops, domestic uses, etc.]crops, domestic uses, etc.]

How is the scarcity of water How is the scarcity of water related to the unequal related to the unequal distribution of water?distribution of water?

In which In which countries countries

do you do you think think

water is water is unevenly unevenly

distributeddistributed??

Why?Why?1616

Another factor causing the Another factor causing the unequal distribution of water unequal distribution of water

in the Middle East is the in the Middle East is the building building of dams.of dams.

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According to the International Rivers According to the International Rivers Organization, Dams are used for the Organization, Dams are used for the

following:following:

•To generate electricityTo generate electricity

•To supply water for agriculture, To supply water for agriculture, industries and householdsindustries and households

•To control floodingTo control flooding

•To assist river navigation by To assist river navigation by providing regular flows and providing regular flows and drowning rapids. drowning rapids.

•Other reasons for building large Other reasons for building large dams include reservoir fisheries and dams include reservoir fisheries and leisure activities such as boatingleisure activities such as boating

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Dams along the Tigris and Dams along the Tigris and Euphrates RiversEuphrates Rivers

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GreenDots

What What happens to happens to

the the availability of availability of

water as it water as it flows from flows from

Turkey to the Turkey to the Persian Gulf?Persian Gulf?

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Water Scarcity and Water Scarcity and AgricultureAgriculture

Agriculture uses about 85 Agriculture uses about 85 percent of water in the Middle percent of water in the Middle East. It is common to misuse East. It is common to misuse

land by heavy irrigation. land by heavy irrigation.

The overuse of water in The overuse of water in agriculture is affecting the agriculture is affecting the

already scarce water resources.already scarce water resources.2121

Water Scarcity and Water Scarcity and AgricultureAgriculture

Water scarcity and water use Water scarcity and water use affect agriculture (crop choice, affect agriculture (crop choice, growing seasons, and pests), growing seasons, and pests),

fisheries, forestry, and livestock fisheries, forestry, and livestock (pastures and pests). (pastures and pests).

These factors impact incomes These factors impact incomes and food security.and food security.

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Distributed Summarizing:Distributed Summarizing:On your Middle East Water Issues On your Middle East Water Issues

Graphic Organizer identify the causes Graphic Organizer identify the causes and effects of Unequal Water and effects of Unequal Water

Distribution of Water in the Middle East.Distribution of Water in the Middle East.

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Middle East Water I ssues

Unequal Distribution of

Water

Water Pollution

Causes: _________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Eff ects: ________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________

Causes: ________________________________ ____________________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ _______________________________________ Eff ects: _____________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ _______________________________________

Unequal Distribution of Unequal Distribution of WaterWater

•CausesCauses–The Middle East is an arid The Middle East is an arid (dry) region where little (dry) region where little rain fallsrain falls

–Rivers are the main source Rivers are the main source of water and there are few of water and there are few riversrivers

–The building of damsThe building of dams2424

Unequal Distribution of Unequal Distribution of WaterWater

•EffectsEffects– The existing ground and surface The existing ground and surface

water resources are not enough water resources are not enough to meet the needs of the growing to meet the needs of the growing population [drinking water, population [drinking water, irrigation of crops]irrigation of crops]

– The building of dams along rivers The building of dams along rivers make the rivers less powerful make the rivers less powerful and much smaller for countries and much smaller for countries down the riverdown the river

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Water Pollution in the Water Pollution in the Middle EastMiddle East

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Use Middle East Water Issues Graphic Use Middle East Water Issues Graphic Organizer to record the causes and Organizer to record the causes and

effects of Water Pollution in the effects of Water Pollution in the Middle East.Middle East.

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Middle East Water I ssues

Unequal Distribution of

Water

Water Pollution

Causes: _________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ ___________________________ ____________ _______________________________________ Eff ects: ________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________

Causes: ________________________ ________ ____________________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ _______________________________________ Eff ects: _____________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ ____________________________________ ___ _______________________________________

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Causes of Water Pollution in Causes of Water Pollution in the Middle Eastthe Middle East

• Dams have reduced fresh water Dams have reduced fresh water inflow that would reduce pollutioninflow that would reduce pollution

• Salt water mixing with fresh water Salt water mixing with fresh water (salination) or soil degradation (ruin)(salination) or soil degradation (ruin)

• Depletion and contamination of Depletion and contamination of underground and surface water underground and surface water resourcesresources

• Pollution from raw sewage, industrial Pollution from raw sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural wastewaste, and agricultural waste

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Causes of Water Pollution Causes of Water Pollution in the Middle Eastin the Middle East

• Burning oil wells during the Burning oil wells during the Persian Gulf War created Persian Gulf War created significant air pollution which significant air pollution which disrupted ecosystems, spoiled disrupted ecosystems, spoiled food webs, and contaminated food webs, and contaminated drinking waterdrinking water

• Oil rigs cause pollution by leaking Oil rigs cause pollution by leaking oil through old equipment, illegal oil through old equipment, illegal dumping, and accidental spillsdumping, and accidental spills

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Effects of Water Pollution in the Effects of Water Pollution in the Middle EastMiddle East

•Economic ImpactEconomic Impact– There is a limited supply of clean water for There is a limited supply of clean water for

the irrigation of cropsthe irrigation of crops– Polluted water can reduce the production of Polluted water can reduce the production of

food and pose health risksfood and pose health risks

•Impact on the PopulationImpact on the Population– Polluted water is unsafe for drinking Polluted water is unsafe for drinking

[causing health problems and in some cases [causing health problems and in some cases death]death]

– Polluted water is unsafe for livestock and Polluted water is unsafe for livestock and fish [which can be passed up the food chain]fish [which can be passed up the food chain]

Summarizing Strategy: 3-Summarizing Strategy: 3-2-12-1

• Identify 3 causes of the unequal Identify 3 causes of the unequal distribution of water in the distribution of water in the Middle EastMiddle East

• Identify 2 causes of water Identify 2 causes of water pollution in the Middle Eastpollution in the Middle East

• Identify 1 reason that the Middle Identify 1 reason that the Middle East’s water problems are East’s water problems are getting worsegetting worse

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