Student Research Reports

This is a fantastic research, nice graphs, lots of measurements and a well written student report. Keep all your great work with great team of students and community involvement. Here are my questions.
(1) In figure 2, what is the relationship between air temperature and the amount of precipitation?
(2) In figure 4, which parameters that affecting the evapotranspiration? and why?
(3) If Gran Canaria keeps doing the desalination of sea water, what would you expect to happen in the future? and why?
(4) From your data, how you would recommend to the government on water use on Gran Canaria in order to conserve your underground water supply?

Gracias por el reconocimiento al trabajo del alumnado y del Centro. Ha sido imposible enviar el correo con las respuestas desde el Centro, ya que en estos días no ha habido conexión a Internet.
Thanks for the consideration of our students' work and the implication of our school. It has been impossible to send you the email with the answers from our school, since we haven't had internet connection.
Las respuestas de los alumnos a las preguntas que usted propone son:
The answers students have given to your questions are:
1.- Las mayores precipitaciones se corresponden con los meses que registran temperaturas más bajas (noviembre-marzo). Sin embargo hay que destacar que las precipitaciones en nuestra isla vienen determinadas en gran medida por la orografía y por la orientación, que hace que dentro de la isla tengamos muchos “microclimas”, por eso nos conocen como un “continente en miniatura”. Most of precipitations correspond to the months with the lowest temperature (November-March). However, we must highlight the fact that precipitations in our island are determined mainly by the orography and the position, which make our island have the so called “microclimates”. This is the reason why our island is known as a “continent in miniature”.
2.- Se corresponde las mayores ETo con los meses de mayor temperatura. Los factores que intervienen en la determinación de la ETo son: Temperatura, localización, humedad relativa pero quizás muy importante en el caso de Gran Canaria es el factor viento.
There is a correspondence between the highest ETo and the months with the highest temperature. The factors that influence in ETo are: temperature, location, relative humidity, etc. But one of the most important ones in Gran Canaria is the wind.
3.- Desde hace muchos años la desalación de agua de mar ha sido la solución al problema del agua en Gran Canaria, pero presenta algunos inconvenientes:
Since many years ago, sea water desalination has been the solution to our problems with the lack of water in Gran Canaria, but it has some disadvantages.
3.1.- Con respecto a la calidad, si el agua que se obtiene de la desalación no es correcta, si se utilizada de forma continuada en el riego puede salinizar los suelos y tener un efecto directo sobre la disminución de las cosechas de los cultivos.
In relation to quality, if the water we get from desalination is not of good quality and we use it frequently in watering, it may salinize the land and have a direct effect on the decrease of the harvest.
3.2.- Con respecto al coste, el agua desalada es muy cara, ya que se necesita mucha presión para crear el fenómeno de ósmosis inversa. En la actualidad se utiliza bombas accionadas por electricidad producida por derivados del petróleo, lo que crea una dependencia de los combustibles fósiles.
As regards costs, desalinated water is very expensive since much pressure is needed to cause the inverse osmosis phenomenon. At present, bombs activated by electricity are used. This electricity is produced by petrol or derivatives. This fact causes dependence.
3.3. Existe otro aspecto, que es el vertido de la salmuera a través de emisores al mar, que según estudios oceanográficos el aumento de la Conductividad Eléctrica en los lugares de vertido aumenta y limita el desarrollo de distintas especies animales y vegetales. Este último aspecto lo hemos leído en un artículo para la búsqueda de la respuesta.
Another aspect is the leak of salt residues to the sea. According to oceanic researches, the electricity conductivity in those places where leak takes place increases and limits the development of different flora and fauna species. We have read about this in an article when figuring out the answer.
El futuro en el que se está trabajando en la actualidad es en abaratar los costes de producción de agua desalada; Energías Renovables y Limpias (eólica e hidráulica)
Nowadays we are trying to reduce the production prices of desalted water, Renewable and Clean Energies (eolic and hydraulic).

4.- Como propuestas al Gobierno insular para no seguir esquilmando el agua subterránea:
As proposals to the insular government in order not to continue exhausting the subterranean water.
4.1. Evitar la sobreexplotación de los pozos. Muchos de ellos están salinizados de tanta extracción.
Try to avoid the wells overexploitation. Many of them are salinized because of so much extraction. Another problem we can also point out is the pollution caused by nitrates, due to the over fertilization.
4.1.- Hacer cumplir las leyes: “No trasvasar aguas de las cotas superiores a 300 m.s.n.m hacia la costa”.
To ensure that the law is upheld: “Do not transfer water with levels higher than 300 m.s.n.m. towards the coast.

4.2.- Invertir en mejorar la calidad tanto del agua regenerada como desalada para evitar la sobrexplotación del agua subterránea.
To invest in the quality improvement not only in the regenerated water but also in the desalted water to avoid the subterranean water overexploitation.

Thanks for the consideration of our students' work and the implication of our school. It has been impossible to send you the email with the answers from our school, since we haven't had internet connection.
The answers students have given to your questions are:
1.- Most of precipitations correspond to the months with the lowest temperature (November-March). However, we must highlight the fact that precipitations in our island are determined mainly by the orography and the position, which make our island have the so called “microclimates”. This is the reason why our island is known as a “continent in miniature”.

2.- There is a correspondence between the highest ETo and the months with the highest temperature. The factors that influence in ETo are: temperature, location, relative humidity, etc. But one of the most important ones in Gran Canaria is the wind.
3.- Since many years ago, sea water desalination has been the solution to our problems with the lack of water in Gran Canaria, but it has some disadvantages.
3.1.- In relation to quality, if the water we get from desalination is not of good quality and we use it frequently in watering, it may salinize the land and have a direct effect on the decrease of the harvest.
3.2.- As regards costs, desalinated water is very expensive since much pressure is needed to cause the inverse osmosis phenomenon. At present, bombs activated by electricity are used. This electricity is produced by petrol or derivatives. This fact causes dependence.
3.3.- Another aspect is the leak of salt residues to the sea. According to oceanic researches, the electricity conductivity in those places where leak takes place increases and limits the development of different flora and fauna species. We have read about this in an article when figuring out the answer.
Nowadays we are trying to reduce the production prices of desalted water, Renewable and Clean Energies (eolic and hydraulic).

4.- As proposals to the insular government in order not to continue exhausting the subterranean water.
4.1.-Try to avoid the wells overexploitation. Many of them are salinized because of so much extraction. Another problem we can also point out is the pollution caused by nitrates, due to the over fertilization.
To ensure that the law is upheld: “Do not transfer water with levels higher than 300 m.s.n.m. towards the coast.

4.2.- To invest in the quality improvement not only in the regenerated water but also in the desalted water to avoid the subterranean water overexploitation.

Wow, your answers show a great level of understanding your research, your local environment and science as a whole. I am impressed with your study and your answers. Well done and keep up all the great work.