Chapter 9 Flashcards
underground permeable layer of rock that stores water
aquifer
uppermost level of water in the aquifer
water table
- a hole is dug into a confined aquifer
- the pressure allows water to flow up and out of the well
artesian well
pumping out more water than nature could recharge
cone of depression
what recharges an aquifer?
rain & snow
- rapid pumping of wells drilled in aquifers along a coastline can lower the water table
- lowering the water table reduces water pressure in the
aquifer, allowing the nearby salt water to move into the aquifer and contaminate the well water with salt
saltwater intrusion
- is any surface in the landscape that cannot absorb or infiltrate rainfall
- increases runoff and flooding
impervious / impermeable cover
an enlarged bank built up on each side of a river
levee
structure built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land
dikes
a barrier that runs across a river or stream to control the flow of water, and creates a reservoir of water
dam
what is the largest dam in the world?
three gorges dam
help migrating fish get around the dam
fish ladders
a canal, ditch, or pipe used to carry water from one location to another
aqueduct
- the process that removes salt from salt water
- uses more energy
- more $
desalination
less expensive but salty brine is left behind and needs to be disposed of
reverse osmosis
- entire field is flooded
- can be disruptive to plants
- 70%-80% efficient
flood
- easy, inexpensive
- farmer digs trenches or furrows along rows of crops and fills them with water
- 65% of water accessible to plants
furrow
- water is pumped from a well and sprayed across the field
- 75%-95% efficient, but more expensive
spray
- most efficient method of irrigation
- uses slowly dripping hose laid on the ground or buried beneath soil
drip
the growth and cultivation of plants in a greenhouse by immersing roots in a nutrient-rich solution.
hydroponic agriculture
where is the ogalla aquifer?
midwest area
what is the ogalla aquifer used for?
agriculture and irrigation
what can increase and decrease infiltration?
increase - vegetation
decrease - buildings and homes
what increases runoff?
buildings and homes
what do dams do?
dams hold water for human consumption, generation of electricity, and flood control
