Chapter 11

Question 1

What is in situ water

Answer 1

“In situ” means in place. Water in situ is found in rivers and lakes.

Question 2

How will climate change affect the hydrologic cycle?

Answer 2

• Altering precipitation patterns
• Melting glaciers
• Increased incidences of droughts and floods
• Decreasing river flows
• Lowering groundwater levels
• Increasing sea levels
• Financial implications

Question 3

Tributary

Answer 3

Smaller river flowing into a larger one

Question 4

Drainage basin/watershed

Answer 4

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

Question 5

Wetlands

Answer 5

Systems that combine elements of freshwater and dry land

Question 6

What are the 5 classes of wetlands

Answer 6

Marshes, swamps, bogs, fens, shallow open water

Question 7

Lakes

Answer 7

Open bodies of standing water

Question 8

What are the different parts of a lake?

Answer 8

Littoral zone: water is shallow, aquatic plants can grow.
Benthic zone: extends along the bottom of the entire water body from shore to the deepest point.
Limnetic zone: the zone where sunlight penetrates the shallow waters. Sunlight entering this zone supports photosynthesis and plant growth.
Profundal zone: below the limnetic zone, sunlight doesn’t enter this zone, this zone is only found in the deepest lakes.

Question 9

Eutrophic water bodies

Answer 9

Low-oxygen

Question 10

Where is groundwater contained?

Answer 10

Aquifers

Question 11

What is an aquifer? What are its layers?

Answer 11

Porous rocks, sand, or gravel that hold water.
Upper layer is the zone of aeration which consists of rock or sediment in which pore spaces are only partly filled by water.
The lower layer is the zone of saturation which are spaces that are completely filled with water.

Question 12

What is the difference between confined and unconfined aquifers?

Answer 12

Confined aquifer: has impermeable layers so the water is trapped under great pressure.
Unconfined aquifer: doesn’t have impermeable layers so water is under less pressure.

Question 13

Diversions

Answer 13

When water is rerouted from its natural channel or basin through built structures.

Question 14

What are the consequences of diversions?

Answer 14

1. Reduced water flow

2. Water depletion

Question 15

Channelization

Answer 15

The artificial, engineered modifications of river channels.

Question 16

What is a dam?

Answer 16

An obstruction placed in a river or stream channel to block the flow of water so that water can be stored in a reservoir.

Question 17

Advantages of dams

Answer 17

• Prevent floods
• Provide drinking water
• Generating electricity
• Facilitating crop irrigation
• Reduces emissions (doesn’t produce greenhouse gases)

Question 18

Disadvantages of dams

Answer 18

• Population displacement
• Sediment capture
• Risk of failure and catastrophic flooding
• Habitat alteration
• Loss of recreational opportunities
• Declining fisheries
• Reduces downstream flow and disruption of flooding

Question 19

Sinkholes

Answer 19

Areas where the ground gives way with little warning and can swallow homes, roads, or cars.

Question 20

Desalinization

Answer 20

Removal of salt from seawater.

Question 21

What is pollution?

Answer 21

The release of matter and energy into the environment that causes undesirable impacts on the health and wellbeing of organisms.

Question 22

Point sources

Answer 22

Specific locations where pollution is emitted from (ex// oil spills, sewage treatment plants, animal feedlots)

Question 23

Nonpoint sources

Answer 23

When pollution is emitted from multiple cumulative inputs (ex// farms, lawns, construction sites, residential areas)

Question 24

Nutrient pollution

Answer 24

Pollution that occurs due to excessive inputs of nutrients. These can come from fertilizers and other sources can lead to eutrophication and hypoxia.

Question 25

Wastewater

Answer 25

Water that has already been used by people in some way.