Exam 3 Flashcards
Water statistics 4
370 Million Trillion gal. 97.5% salt water, 2.5% freshwater. 31.3% of freshwater is usable for humans. The largest potential source is in ice/glaciers
Transpiration vs evapotranspiration
Transpiration is when plants release water, evapotranspiration is the combo of evaporation and transpiration
Aquifer
An underground region of permeable soil or porous rock that receives water from rain and snow that soaks into the ground through infiltration
Which country has the highest per capita water use and which industry uses the most water?
Canada and agriculture
Water scarcity 2
Physical (literal lack of water) economic (lack of money to get water)
Legislative act that makes US water so good
Safe Drinking Water Act
Pros and cons of dams and reservoirs
Pros: Controlling the flow and flood control, water storage, recreation, electricity generation. Cons: Evaporation, water wars, habitat destruction
Pros and cons of desalination and recycling wastewater
Pros: Makes more drinkable water. Cons: very economically and energetically expensive
States/countries in the CO river basin/ which are in the upper and lower basins
Upper: WY, CO, UT, NM. Lower: NV, AZ, CA, and Mexico
How much water is allocated to the upper/lower basins?
45.5% with 9.1% of the lower basin’s going to Mexico
How much water was thought to flow in the CO between 14-23 vs 2001-2009
18.8 MAF vs 12.1 MAF
What is beneficial water use?
Relates to native tribes who lose their water rights due to not having proper infrastructure in place to use the water. Basically use in agriculture, municipal, industry etc
Transbasin diversions
Pumping water to areas outside of the river basin. Ie Denver
What is dead pool?
Water that sits below the intake valve of a dam
