Midterm Flashcards
Natural conditions that influence water quality
Geology (minerals in bedrock),
climate,
vegetation,
morphology
Dissolved oxygen
Oxygen gas that is dissolved in water
pH
measure of the intensity of how acidic or basic a solution is at a given temperature;
Lower pH is acidic
Higher pH is basic(alkaline)
Turbidity
Measurement of suspended or dissolved solids in water that cause water to become murky
NTU’s
Nephelometric Turbidity Units
Watershed
An area that collects, stores, and releases water
Watersheds COLLECT water through:
Geology,
vegetation,
manmade surfaces
Watersheds STORE water through:
Wetlands,
lakes and resevoirs,
soil,
groundwater,
snow and ice,
biology
Watersheds RELEASE water through:
Streams and rivers, evaporation, human engineering
Ecology
The study of how organisms exist in their environment
Total Dissolved Solids
(TDS) The mass of material that will dissolve in water
Total Suspended Solids
(TSS) Solids held in solution by gravitational energy as the stream runs down a gradient.
Nutrients
Essential minerals required by all living organisms
Phosphorus
Essential nutrient required for plant growth; occurs naturally in the ecosystem but becomes a pollutant at high concentrations
Eutrophication
Process which occurs when high concentrations of nutrients cause algae to grow at an accelerated rate, known as an algal bloom
Nitrogen
Essential component of amino acids that affects algal growth
Nitrite
(NO2) Short lived form of nitrogen that is rapidly converted to nitrate by bacteria
Nitrate
(NO3) Essential nutrient for plant growth and one of the main ingredients in fertilizer
Sources of pollution
Storm water runoff,
flooding inputs,
lake homes and fertilizers,
septic system seepage,
ground water salinization,
thermal pollution,
noise pollution
Point source pollution
When the source is known; three main types: publically owned treatment works,
combined sewer systems,
industrial facilities
Non-point source pollution
Includes everything that is not a point source;
farming,
construction,
mining,
urban runoff
Assimilative capacity
Natural capacity for water body to cleanse itself
Lenthic
Slow moving water
Lotic
Relatively fast moving water
TMDL’s
Total Maximum Daily Loads
Calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so it will meet water quality standards.
Perennial stream
A stream that has a continuous flow of surface water throughout the year
Intermittent stream
A stream that has flowing water during certain times of the year, when groundwater provides water for stream flow
Ephemeral stream
A stream that has flowing water only during or for a short duration after precipitation events
