Chapter 10 & 11 Flashcards
Define Evaporation
liquid to a gaseous state
Define Condensation
gaseous to liquid state
Define Precipitation
Water falling from the atmosphere
Define Transpiration
through plants
Define Runoff
Excess liquid water flowing off the surface
Define Infiltration
Downward movement of water into the soil
Define Percolation
Flow of water through soil and porous or fractured rock
What percent of water is seawater?
97.5%
What percent of water is freshwater?
2.5%
What percent of freshwater is fresh surface water?
0.03%
Define Surface Water
Precipitation that remains on the surface of the land
Examples of surface water
Streams, rivers, lakes, ponds & wetlands
Define groundwater
Freshwater stored underground
Define Zone of aeration
Shallow layer of soil containing both air and water.
Define Zone of saturation
Lower soil layer with pores filled with water
Define Water Table
Top of zone of saturation that supplies most wells
Define Capillary action
the ability of a substance to draw another substance into it
Define Porosity
open spaces in soil
Define Permeability
the ease with which air or water passes through soil
What are recharge Zones?
-Areas where surface water filters into an aquifer
• Contaminants can also enter aquifers through recharge zones
Define Turbidity
A measure of water clarity
• Clear water has a low turbidity.
What type of water hold more oxygen?
Cold
What does dissolved oxygen tell us?
how much oxygen is available in the water
What factors effect DO?
-Temperature
• Pollution
• The speed and composition of the stream bottom
What is an Oligotrophic lake?
Unenriched, clear water, supports small populations of aquatic organisms
What is a Eutrophic Lake?
High nutrient, poor light, low DO, Shallow water, high algae growth, warm water fish
What are dead zones?
Areas in water with low oxygen levels
Define Hypoxia
low oxygen condition in a dead zone
Define Eutrophication
The presence of too much nitrogen or phosphorus in surface water can cause algae or vegetation to grow excessively.
Depletes DO levels
What does Eutrophication result in?
Dead Zones
What are the effects of dead zones?
-Threatens biodiversity
• Coastal fisheries
What does Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) mean?
The amount of oxygen that microorganisms need to decompose biological wastes into carbon dioxide, water, and minerals.
What does a high BOD mean?
Polluted water
What causes HARD water?
Calcium and magnesium
What is point source pollution?
Traced to specific sources
-Discrete & identifiable
• Easy to monitor & regulate
What is an example of point source pollution?
drain pipes, ditches, or sewer outfalls
What is non-point pollution?
Diffuse, have no single point of entry or no specific location where they discharge
What is an example of non-point source pollution?
Runoff
What is Aquifer depletion?
Removal of groundwater faster than it can be recharged by precipitation or melting snow
What causes Aquifer depletion?
– Lowering of the water table
– Subsidence
– Saltwater intrusion
Define saltwater intrusion
Movement of seawater into a freshwater aquifer
What is the Ogallala Aquifer?
Used for irrigation of crops
Where is the Ogallala Aquifer Located?
US: Great Plains- through 8 states
What are the problems with the Ogallala Aquifer?
It is overdrawn from and is being used faster then what can be replenished
Colorado river basin issues?
- Very less flow as it reaches Pacific Ocean in Mexico
* Salinization
Colorado River basin causes?
Drought
• Water diversion for irriga1on:
(1922 Colorado river Compact)
Define Salinization
the process by which water-soluble salts accumulate in the soil
Salinization Causes and Effects
Overuse of irrigation water
The salt from that kills roots
Aral Sea Crisis: Issues
Main body of the sea has lost more than 80% of its volume, leaving vast toxic salt flats
Aral Sea Crisis: Causes
diverted to irrigate nearby codon & rice fields.
Waste Water treatment: Primary
– Mechanical process: Screens, gravitational settling
– Suspended and floating articles removed
– Product: Primary sludge
Waste Water Treatment: Secondary
– Biological treatment: Aeration tanks
– Aerobic microorganisms to decompose suspended organic matter
– Product: Secondary sludge
How is sludge Handled?
Incineration
Sanitary landfill
Anaerobic digestion
Application to soil as a ferltiizer
What are some advantages to wastewater treatment?
– Less expensive
– Wildlife habitat
– Human recreation
1977 Clean Water Act:
EPA sets and monitors national emission limitations
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
requires an easily revoked permit for any industry, municipality, or other entity dumping wastes in surface waters
1974: Safe Drinking Water Act
Uniform Federal standards for drinking water
Grand Coulee Dam
Largest hydropower producer in the US
Three Gorges Dam, China
Worlds largest Dam
Overfishing
-Harvesting of fishes faster than they can reproduce
• Many commercially fish species are severely depleted
What percent of the world stock if overfished?
90%
Define Bycatch
Fish unintentionally caught
What is Aquaculture
Fish farming or growing of aquatic organisms for human consumption
What is coral bleaching?
whitening of coral that results from the loss of a coral’s symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) or the degradation of the algae’s photosynthetic pigment
