Environmental Hydrology Flashcards
What percentage of water on Earth is fresh and salt water?
Fresh; 2.5
Salt; 97.5
Where is most of Earth’s freshwater found?
Frozen in glaciers
Where is most Earth’s available freshwater found?
Ground water/ aquifer
Most of the US’s water is used for thermoelectric power which
What is a conservation solution
produces electricity by heating up a vat of water to produce steam to turn a turbine
an alternative solution without large vats of water
A third of our water is used for
irrigation
Irrigation is a wasteful use of water because
A solution would be
80% is lost to evaporation
trickle method, but it is more expensive
Which states have a shortage of water, so most of its water is used only for irrigation
Western
Dual-flush toilet
option for number 1 and number 2 to save water
High-efficiency washers
measures the amount of water used
Cone of Depression
When an aquifer is overused the water table sinks
Subsidence
Land around the aquifer sinks
Saltwater Intrusion
When salt water gets into an aquifer
The major source of water pollution is
agriculture because pesticides, fertilizers and animal waste
Estuary Degradation
Damaging estuaries as a result of human activities leads to bioaccumulation and eutrophication
Bioaccumulation
buildup of pollutants in the tissues of aquatic organisms
EX; mercury in fish
Eutrophication
When excessive levels of nutrients accumulate from detergents, fertilizers, or sewage