Ch. 11 - Freshwater Systems and Water Resources Flashcards
fresh water
Water that has low salinity (generally, less than about 500 ppm dissolved salts).
tributary
A smaller river that flows into a larger one.
drainage basin
Area of land drained by one river and its tributaries; sometimes called a catchment.
watershed
The term watershed is often used as a synonym for drainage basin; sometimes it is used to refer to the boundaries that delineate a drainage basin; and sometimes it refers to the drainage basic and all of its component parts, including the physical (abiotic) resources, ecological communities, and human occupants and uses of the area.
floodplain
The region of land over which a river has historically wandered, and which is periodically inundated.
riparian
Relating to a river or the area along a river.
wetland
A system that combines elements of fresh water and dry land; usually there is standing water for a least part of the year. These biologically productive systems include freshwater marshes, swamps, peatlands, fens, bogs, and shallow-water wetlands such as vernal pools.
marsh
A type of wetland in which shallow water allows grasses and seasonal herbaceous plants to grow above the water’s surface.
swamp
A type of wetland consisting of shallow water rich with vegetation, occurring in a forested area.
bog
A type of wetland in which a pound is thoroughly covered with a thick, floating mat of vegetation.
fen
A type of wetland covered with a tick mat of vegetation, and fed by ground water.
shallow-water wetland
A wetland with some open, flowing, or standing water; includes ponds, sloughs, oxbows, and vernal pools.
littoral zone
The region ringing the edge of a water body.
benthic zone
The bottom of a water body, including the lowermost layer of water and the bottom sediments.
limnetic zone:
In a water body, the layer of open water through which sunlight penetrates.
profundal zone
In a water body, the volume of open water that sunlight does not reach.
oligotrophic
Term describing a water body that has low-nutrient and (typically) high-oxygen conditions.
eutrophic
Term describing a water body that has high-nutrient and (typically) low-oxygen conditions.
aquifer
An underground reservoir of water, typically a permeable rock or sediment unit.
water table
The upper limit of ground water held in an aquifer.
confined aquifer:
A water-bearing, porous, and permeable layer of rock, sand, or gravel that is trapped between an upper and lower layer of less permeable substrate, such as clay or unfractured rock. The water in a confined aquifer (also called artesian aquifer) is under pressure because it is trapped between two impermeable layers.
unconfined aquifer
A water-bearing, porous, and permeable layer of rock, sand, or gravel, that lies atop a less-permeable substrate. The water in an unconfined aquifer is not under pressure because there is no impermeable upper layer to confine it.
recharge zone
An area where precipitation falls and infiltrates the ground, percolating downward to eventually join and replenish ground water in an aquifer.
discharge zone
An area where ground water emerges from the subsurface and flows out on the surface to become or join a surface water body.
diversion (of water)
Removing water from a river system or changing its flow for use in another location
channelization
Modification of a river’s channel or banks by straightening, widening, or concrete-lining, usually for the purposes of navigation, flood control, or diversion for irrigation or water supply.
dam
Any obstruction placed in a river stream to block the flow of water so that water can be stored in a reservoir. Dams are built to prevent floods, provide drinking water, facilitate irrigation, and generate electricity.
sinkhole
An area where the ground has given way with little warning as a result of subsidence, especially in areas underlain by soluble carbonate (limestone) bedrock, and often associated with depression of the water table or depletion of an underlying aquifer.
desalinization (or desalination)
The removal of salt from sea water or from soil.
pollution
Any matter or energy released into the environment that causes undesirable impacts on the health and well-being of humans or other organisms. Pollution can be physical, chemical, biological, or thermal, and can affect water, air, or soil.
point source
A specific spot - such as a factory’s smokestacks - where large quantities of pollutants are discharged.
nonpoint source
A diffuse source of pollutants, often consisting of many small sources.
eutrophication
The process of nutrient enrichment, increased production of organic matter, and subsequent ecosystem degradation.
water quality
The suitability of water for various purposes (such as drinking or swimming), as determined by comparing the water’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics with a set of predetermined standards.
septic system
A wastewater disposal method, common in rural areas, consisting of an underground tank and series of drainpipes. Waste water runs from the house to the tank, where solids precipitate out. The water proceeds downhill to a drain field of perforated pipes laid horizontally in gravel-filled trenches, where microbes decompose the remaining waste.
effluent
Water that flows out of a facility such as a wastewater treatment plant, mine, or power plant.
remediation
Removing pollutants from contaminated ground water. More generally, cleaning or restoring a degraded habitat, environment, or ecosystem.
pump-and-treat
An approach to groundwater remediation that involves pumping out contaminated ground water, cleaning it in a surface facility, and then (typically) pumping it back into the aquifer.
constructed wetland
A wetland that is built, usually for the purpose of storm water runoff management or wastewater management. Also called artificial wetland or engineered wetland.