Chapter 17: Water Use and Management Flashcards
What fraction of the world’s population live without access to adequate fresh water supplies?
1/3
How many people live without access to safe drinking water according to the United Nations?
1 billion
In how many years is the number of people living without fresh water supposed to double?
25 years
Florida Water Wars
Term used to describe the increasing concern of southern Florida’s need of more fresh water and the desire to
take it from northern Florida.
What is the driving force of the hydrologic cycle?
Solar energy
Since solar energy is greatest around the tropics, the rate of what is also great?
The rate of evaporation/transpiration as well as the rate of
precipitation
How many districts of water management are in Florida?
10 districts
What district is Union county in?
Suwannee River District
How many primary factors control global deficits and surpluses are there?
3
What are the primary factors control global deficits and surpluses?
- Atmospheric circulation creates regions of
persistent high pressure and low rainfall.
These same air patterns produce frequent
rainfall near the equator. - Proximity to water sources influences
precipitation. - Topography such as mountains influence
cloud formation. Windward side is usually wet,
leeward side is dry (rain shadow).
*Human activity can impact the cycle.
Deforestation reduces transpiration.
Residence Time
Length of time water stays in a compartment.
How many years does the average water molecule stay in the ocean?
About 3,000 years
What percent of Earth’s liquid water do oceans hold?
97%
Ocean’s hold what percent of Earth’s living biomass?
90%
What do oceans moderate?
Earth’s global temperatures
“Global currents transfer ___ and ____ waters throughout the oceans.”
Cold; Warm
What is an example of the transfer of cold and warm waters?
Florida’s Gulf Coast
What percent of water on Earth is fresh?
2.4%
What percent of that fresh water is frozen?
90%
Earth’s largest glaciers are found where?
In Antarctica and Greenland
Infiltration
When water trickles down through earth’s sediments
Recharge Zones
Are areas where infiltration of water into aquifers occurs.
Some aquifers hold large volumes of water.
How are rivers measured?
Based on water discharge
Water Discharge
The amount of water passing a given point in a given time
What is the largest river in the world?
Amazon
What is the largest river in the U.S?
Mississippi
What is the largest river in Africa?
Congo
What is the largest river in China?
Yangtze
Lakes
Inland depressions holding standing water.
How do wetlands help the hydrologic cycle?
They hold back surface water and allow greater time for infiltration and groundwater recharge.