GEOG 2055 Assignment 2

The University of Hong Kong
Department of Geography
Cover Sheet for Submitting Undergraduate Assignments
Students are required to provide information below:
Course code and title:
GEOG2055 Water resources and management
Full name of student(s):
Wu Qian Bing Samantha
Student number(s):
3035665990
Type of assignment (e.g. essay, practical exercise, etc.):
Data Response Exercise
Remarks:
1. All students must attach a copy of this completed cover sheet to each piece of
submitted assignment.
2. When collecting back the marked assignments from the department, students are
not allowed to look at or use mobile phone to take picture of other students’
marked assignments.
Please stamp date chop here: _7 April 2021________________________________

Section A Hydrology
YEAR ANNUAL RAINFALL (millimeters) ANNUAL YIELD (million cubic meters)

1991 1639.1 180.211
1992 2678.8 363.687
1993 2343.9 360.228
1994 2725.6 276.925
1995 2754.4 302.481
1996 2249.1 187.659
1997 3343 224.239
1998 2564.6 237.933
1999 2129.1 106.367
2000 2752.3 260.758
2001 3091.8 301.464
2002 2490 252.401
2003 1941.9 252.667
2004 1738.6 111.003
2005 3214.5 298.16
2006 2627.8 319.95
2007 1706.9 186.65
2008 3066.2 331.96
2009 2182.3 220.49
2010 2372 228
2011 1477 103
2012 1925 217
2013 2847 336
2014 2638 228
2015 1875 226
2016 3027 385
2017 2572 304
2018 2163 288
Table 1: Record of the annual rainfall and yield in Hong Kong for the past 27 years
Annual Rainfall (mm)
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Figure 1: Bar graph of the average annual rainfall in Hong Kong for the past 27 years
Annual Yield (million cubic meters)

450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Figure 2: Bar graph of the average annual yield in Hong Kong for the past 27 years
Rainfall and run-off are interrelated and there is a directly proportional correlation between
these two variables. The amount of run-off will depend on the intensity of rainfall at a
particular raining event, the soil infiltration rate and the water holding capacity of soil.
Whenever there is run-off, it indicates that the water holding capacity of soil has reached it’s
maximum. In Hong Kong, the run-off is being measured as the yield that is collected in
catchment areas located within Country Parks. These local yield plays an important role in
supplying freshwater for Hong Kong as these catchment areas are being protected from
contamination.
Throughout the past 27 years, Hong Kong’s rainfall fluctuates and so does the run-off. For
the past 27 years, the annual rainfall for all the years except 2011 was at least 1500mm and
the annual yield is never less than 100 million cubic meters. As the annual rainfall is high,
the run-off will also be high, which can be seen from figures 1 and 2 above. Depending on
the structure and texture of soil, there will be different water holding capacity. When there
is high amount of rainfall, the water will penetrate through the soil and when the holding
capacity is at its maximum, the exceeded amount of water will be run-off into the
catchment areas. On the other hand, when rainfall is not that high, there is enough capacity
in the soil to hold the water and the run-off will decrease. However, from the positive
correlated relationship between rainfall and run-off, the reason behind could be that the
soil’s water holding capacity is not that high and the soil infiltration rate is not that fast so
that the water infiltration process is not highly efficient causing a higher yield of run-off.
Section B Water Quality In Hong Kong
1. In 2019, there are 82 monitoring stations.

2. In 2019, the percentage of monitoring stations complying with the water quality
objectives was 90%. Between 2000 to 2010, the compliance rate is within the range
of 81-90%. However, in 1987, 1990 and 1995, the compliance rate is a lot lower
ranging from 48-68%. Overall, there is an increasing trend in the compliance rate
with the water quality objectives.
3. The 5 water quality parameters were pH, COD (chemical oxygen demand), SS
(suspended solids), BOD5 (5-day biochemical oxygen demand) and DO (dissolved
oxygen).
4. The 5-day biochemical oxygen demand assesses the degree of organic pollution of
water. It measures the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms by aerobic
respiration in the water.
5. The compliance with water quality objectives has been around 90% since 2009 is due
to a positive achievement in pollution control measures. Control measures such as
Sewerage Master Plans, Water Pollution Control Ordinance and Livestock Waste
Control Scheme were enforced and it has a great positive impact on reducing
pollution in the water.
6. The E. coli level in Hong Kong’s river waters has been measured since 1988.
7. In the Northwestern New Territories, Yuen Long Creek and Kam Tin River has a
compliance rate of 41% and 49% respectively and the water quality index was
graded as “Bad”. The E. coli levels in Yuen Long Creek remained high since 1999 and
in 2019 there the level ranges from 100,000/100mL to 1000, 000/100mL. As for Kam
Tin River, the E. coli levels was also high with 100,000/100mL in 2019. Since Yuen
Long Creek passes through rural areas and populated towns, so there are sewage
problems and highly susceptible to water pollution. As Kam Tin River merges with
the Yuen Long Creek, it is also affected by the pollution causing high E. coli levels and
bad water quality.
In the Southwestern New Territories and Kowloon, the water quality index for one of
the monitoring stations located in Tuen Mun River was graded as “Bad”. Since 1999,
the E. coli level did decrease but was still high with around 100,000/100mL in 2019.
This station was graded as “Bad” and has a high E. coli level because in rural areas
there is no proper places for sewage discharge.
To address the issue with high E. coli levels and improve the water quality in Yuen
Long Creek, Kam Tin River and Tuen Mun River, the government should develop
places for sewage discharge in the rural areas, if found out there are people who
didn’t discharge sewage properly then there should have a fine penalty as
punishment. Densely populated towns nearby and farmers in rural areas should be
provided with education about the ideal way of treating wastes, where the wastes
will go if not treated properly and how it will pollute the water nearby. Monitoring of
the rivers will technologies from time to time to ensure villagers and farmers have
aware of the water pollution issue and treat wastes in a better and proper way.
References
“River Water Quality In Hong Kong In 2019”, Environmental Protection Department The
Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 2019,
https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/sites/default/files/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/hkwq
rc/files/waterquality/annual-report/riverreport2019.pdf
“Chapter 7 Water Supply , Annual Report - Water Supplies Department 2000-2001”, Water
Supplies Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,
https://www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/annual_reports/rpt0001/chapter07.pdf
“Content 7 Our Water, Annual Report - Water Supplies Department 2003-2004”, Water
https://www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/annual_reports/rpt0304/content07.pdf
“Content 6 Meeting Demand for Water, Annual Report - Water Supplies Department 2008-
2009”, Water Supplies Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region,
https://www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/annual_reports/rpt0809/pdf/06.pdf
“Water Supply Management, Annual Report - Water Supplies Department 2013-2014”,

Water Supplies Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region,
https://www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/common/annual_report/2013_14/en/wsm.html
“Work in Water Supplies, Annual Report - Water Supplies Department 2018-2019”, Water
https://www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/common/annual_report/2018_19/pdf/Work_in_Wat
er_Supplies.pdf

GEOG 2055 Assignment 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GEOG 2055 Assignment 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

GEOG 2055 Assignment 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The University of Hong Kong

Cover Sheet for Submitting Undergraduate Assignments

Students are required to provide information below:

Course code and title:

GEOG2055 Water resources and management

Full name of student(s):

Wu Qian Bing Samantha

Type of assignment (e.g. essay, practical exercise, etc.):

Data Response Exercise

Please stamp date chop here: _7 April 2021________________________________

YEAR ANNUAL RAINFALL (millimeters) ANNUAL YIELD (million cubic meters)

Annual Yield (million cubic meters)

Section B Water Quality In Hong Kong

1. In 2019, there are 82 monitoring stations.

“Water Supply Management, Annual Report - Water Supplies Department 2013-2014”,

You might also like