Chapter 9 - Water Resources Flashcards
Aquifer
A permeable layer of rock and sediment that contains groundwater.
Watershed
All land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland
Unconfined Aquifer
An aquifer made of porous rock covered by soil out of which water can easily flow.
Confined Aquifer
An aquifer surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay that impedes water flow.
Artesian Well
A well created by drilling a hole into a confined aquifer.
Water Table
The uppermost level at which the water in a given area fully saturates rock or soil.
Recharge Zone
Any area of land allowing water to percolate down through it and into an aquifer
Cone of Depression
An area lacking groundwater due to rapid withdrawal by a well.
Salt Water Intrusion
the movement of saltwater into a freshwater aquifer located near the coast; caused by groundwater depletion
Subsidence
A depression or fissure of the land surface as a result of groundwater/oil being pumped; virtually an irreversible process.
Floodplain
The land adjacent to a river.
Oligotrophic Lake
Lake with a low productivity and supply of plant nutrients.
Mesotrophic Lake
Lake with a moderate productivity and supply of plant nutrients.
Eutrophic Lake
Lake with a large or excessive supply of plant nutrients, mostly nitrates and phosphates, high level of productivity.
Impermeable Sufaces
pavement of buildings that do not allow water penetration
Levee
An enlarged bank built up on each side of a river.
Dike
A structure built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land.
Dam
A barrier that runs across a river or stream to control the flow of water.
Reservoir
The water body created by a damming a river or stream.
Fish Ladder
a structure specifically built to assist migratory fish to reach spawning grounds in upper streams; installed to allow these fish to pass around dams
Aqueduct
A canal or ditch used to carry water from one location to another.
Desalination
the removal of salt from ocean water
Distillation
A process of desalinization in which water is boiled and the resulting steam is captured and condensed to yield pure water.
Reverse Osmosis
A process of desalination in which water is forced through a thin semipermeable membrane at high pressure.
Furrow Irrigation
The oldest irrigation technique, which is easy and expensive; involves the digging of trenches (furrows) along crop rows and filling them with water, which seeps into the ground and provides moisture to plant roots; about 65% efficient
Flood Irrigation
Involves flooding an entire field with water and letting the water soak in evenly; generally more disruptive to plant growth than furrow irrigation; about 70% to 80% efficient.
Spray Irrigation
More expensive and uses more energy; water is pumped from a well into an apparatus that contains a series of spray nozzles that spray water across the field; 75% to 95% efficient.
Drip Irrigation
Uses a slowly dripping hose that is either laid on the ground or buried beneath the soil; has the added benefit of reducing weed growth because the surface remains dry, discouraging weed germination; over 95% efficient.
Hydroponics
The cultivation of crop plants under greenhouse conditions with their roots immersed in a nutrient-rich solution, but no soil;
Gray Water
Wastewater from baths, showers, bathrooms, and washing machines.
Tiered Water Pricing System
First tier would charge very little or nothing for a life-line quantity of water to ensure that poor households have enough water to meet basic needs. ( Rates would be higher in the summer as the demand is higher. )
Xeriscaping
A concept of 7 water conserving and landscaping principles that may be applied to a variety of landscape styles (Planning and Design, Wise choice of plants, Appropriate use of turf, Soil preparation, Use of mulch, Efficient irrigation, Proper maintenance)
Aral Sea (disaster)
A lake lying in between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that is one of the biggest seas in the world. (massive decrease in marine biodiversity and increase saltiness)
Three Gorges Dam (disaster)
A hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping that has the highest capacity out of any dam
Ogallala Aquifer (disaster)
A shallow water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States that is one of the largest in the world
James Bay Project (disaster)
Completion of a major hydroelectric project cancelled because it would displace indigenous populations, decomposing organic matter caused lots of methyl-mercury build-up, disrupted salmon spawning, destroyed wildlife habitat.
CA Water Project (disaster)
One of the largest water development projects in US and it is the key means for the State to re-route water among critical regions in times of severe shortages
Colorado River (disaster)
Diversion of water from the Colorado River has led to water rights disputes between Arizona, CA, and Mexico Dams on the Colorado River trap large quantities of silt and reduce nutrient levels in farmlands below the dam. (results in more fertilizer)
Aswan Dam (disaster)
The silt that made the Nile region fertile fills the reservoir. Lack of irrigation controls causes waterlogging and salinization.
