Water Scarcity Case Studies

Name:

Date:

📚 Part 1: Multiple Choice & Quick Data

WALT: Compare causes, impacts and responses to water scarcity in Australia and West Asia/North Africa.

Success criteria: Identify similarities and differences, use simple calculations or data, and suggest one practical response.

1. Which of the following is a major cause of water scarcity in the Murray–Darling Basin (Australia)?

Prolonged drought and lower rainfall

Over-allocation of water rights and irrigation

River salinisation and soil degradation

All of the above

2. In many parts of West Asia/North Africa (WANA), which factor most strongly limits water availability?

Arid climate and low rainfall

Seasonal floods every year

Excess freshwater aquifers

High annual snowfall

3. Check all that apply: Social and economic impacts of water scarcity can include:

Reduced agricultural income and food insecurity

Increased migration from rural areas

Improved public health across the region

Decline in local jobs and services

4. Short calculation: A farm reduces irrigation from 10,000 kL/year to 7,500 kL/year. Calculate the percentage reduction in water use. Show working.

✏️ Part 2: Short Answers & Extension

5. Brief comparison: List two similarities and one key difference between the Australian and WANA case studies. (Short phrases)

6. Describe one management strategy used in your assigned case study (e.g. water allocation rules, desalination, improved irrigation). Give one environmental benefit and one limitation of that strategy.

7. Actions: Suggest one individual action and one collective (community or government) action to reduce water scarcity. Explain briefly how each helps.

8. Reflection (1–2 sentences): Write one new thing you learned today and why comparing case studies matters for solving water problems.

Differentiation strategies (for diverse learners): Provide simplified summaries and highlighted key phrases, use graphic organisers or sentence starters, allow assistive technology (speech-to-text), and pair students for guided reading or research support.

Extension (for advanced learners): Analyse supplied data sets (e.g. water-use trends), model a costed solution (dollars $), or prepare a short digital presentation proposing an innovative, evidence-based strategy.