Chapter 11 key terms Flashcards
Surface Water
Water that collects on the surface of the ground.
River System
A river system is also called a drainage basin or watershed.
Watershed
An area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.
Groundwater
Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.
Aquifer
A body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater.
Porosity
The quality or state of being porous.
Permeability
The state or quality of a material or membrane that causes it to allow liquids or gases to pass through it.
Recharge Zone
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The recharge zone is a 1,250 square mile area where highly faulted and fractured Edwards limestones outcrop at the land surface, allowing large quantities of water to flow into the Aquifer.
Potable
Safe to drink; drinkable.
Pathogen
A bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
Dam
A barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply.
Reservoir
A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.
Desalination
The process of removing salt from seawater.
Water Pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water sources by substances which make the water unusable for drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities.
Point-source Pollution
A source of radiation (such as light) that is concentrated at a point and considered as having no spatial extension.
