Ch. 10 Flashcards
aquifer depletion
The removal of groundwater faster than it can be recharged by precipitation or melting snow.
artificial eutrophication
Overnourishment of an aquatic ecosystem by nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates due to human activities such as agriculture and dicharge from sewage treatment plants.
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
The amount of oxygen that microorganisms need to decompose biological wastes into carbon dioxide, water, and minerals.
groundwater
The supply of fresh water under Earth’s surface that is stored in underground aquifers.
microirrigation
A type of irrigation that conserves water by piping it to crops through sealed systems.
nonpoint source pollution
Pollution that enters bodies of water over large areas rather than being concentrated at a single point of entry.
point source population
Water pollution that can be traced to a specific point of entry.
primary treatment
Treatment of wastewater that involves removing suspended and floating particles through mechanical processes.
runoff
The movement of fresh water from precipitation and snowmelt to rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the ocean.
salinazation
The gradual accumulation of salt in soil, often as a result of improper irrigation methods.
saltwater intrusion
The movement of seawater into a freshwater aquifer near the coast.
secondary treatment
Biological treatment of wastewater to decompose suspended organic material; secondary treatment reduces the water’s biochemical oxygen demand.
surface water
Precipitation that remains on the surface of the land and does not seep down through the soil.
sustainable water use
The wise use of water resources, without harming the essential functioning of the hydrologic cycle or the ecosystems on which present and future humans depend.
tertiary treatment
Advanced wastewater treatment methods that are sometimes employed after primary and secondary treatments.
