Water Resource and Pollution Flashcards
Importance of Water
- Found in every living organism
- Dissolves and transports many molecules (nitrates, phosphates, minerals)
- Quickly moves between three phases, transferring it (and heat) between the surface, atmosphere, and around the planet
Distribution of Water
- Ocean (97%)
- Freshwater (3%)
- Ice Caps and Glaciers (70%)
- Ground water (Aquifers) (29%)
- Easily Accessible Freshwater (1%)
- Lakes (52%)
- Soil Moisture (38%)
- Water Vapor (8%)
- Rivers (1%)
- Living Organisms (1%)
Movement processes of water
Hydrologic Cycle
Liquid water is heated and converted to water vapor
Evaporation
Water vapor cools and liquifies
Condensation
Water droplets combine and fall from clouds
Precipitation
Seeps through spaces in soil
Infiltration
Flows downhill to a stream, then a lake or ocean
Runoff
Evaporation from leaves
Transpiration
It is an underground formations of rock and sand that hold water
Aquifers
What is called to the uppermost boundary of aquifers?
Water table
An ______ ______ is recharged from the ground surface directly above it
Unconfined Aquifer
A _____ ______ has an impermeable layer of clay or rock that limits recharging to a smaller area
Confined Aquifer
It is the entire area of land where water runoff or infiltration feeds a specific river
Watershed
Withdrawal and consumption of water for agriculture, drinking, etc
Water Use
Two kinds of Using Water
- Withdrawal
- Consumption
Amount of water diverted or removed from its source. A portion may be returned afterwards
Withdrawal
Example of Withdrawal
Power plant coolant water
Water withdrawn and permanently removed from a source
Consumption
Example of Consumption
Irrigation
The three largest demands for water withdrawal
- Power generation
- Irrigation
- Domestics
Demands for water withdrawal:
It is use as a coolant water and for generating steam
Power generation (38%)
Demands for water withdrawal:
It is use for watering crops
Irrigation (39%)
Demands for water withdrawal:
It is use as a household water
Domestic
It is the largest consumer of water worldwide, as most of it is either taken in by plants or evaporated into the atmosphere
Irrigation
It occurs when the demand for water is greater than the supply
Water stress
Water stress leads to
depletion of freshwater resources
Regions with water stress tend to be:
- Naturally arid
- Heavily populated
- Growing water-intensive crops and animals
Environmental impacts of overconsumption of freshwater supplies
- Decrease in river flow
- Lowering of lake and reservoir levels
- Subsidence, or the gradual sinking of land
Freshwater depletion causes the movement of saltwater into freshwater aquifers
Saltwater Intrusion
Due to saltwater intrusion, _____ is contaminated with saltwater
Well
Lowering of water table around a well
Cone of Depression
Alternative water sources and reducing water consumption
Water Conservation
It is the removal of salt from ocean water
Desalination
Two possible methods of Desalination
- Distillation
- Reverse osmosis
It is a methods where it boils the water and collects the steam
Distillation
It is a methods where pressurized water passes through a filter
Reverse osmosis
It is the salt waste produced by desalination
Brine
What is the energy costs for desalination?
Very high
- it is where the efforts of water conservation focus on
- it is the biggest source of water consumption
Agriculture
It is installed for tree crops which needs high water
Drip irrigation system
It slows runoff and increase infiltration
Contour plowing and terracing
It prevent leaks and block evaporation
Lining irrigation canals
____ ____ _____ centers around high-efficiency devices
Home water conservation
Low-flow showerheads and faucets use ________ to reduce water consumption
aerators
Dual-flush toilets use ____ _____ for urine and _____ for solid waste
- less water
- more water
________ ________ and _______ ________ run longer, but use much _____ _____ per cycle
- efficient dishwashers and washing machines
- less water
It uses drought-tolerant plants in the homes and yards in arid climates
Xeriscaping
It recirculate used water from the sink or shower into the toilet or for yard irrigation
Graywater systems
It is an established rules and regulations for what can be discharged into surface waters
Clean Water Act
From the industrial revolution until the passage of the Clean Water Act in ______, surface waters were used as ________ _____ _____
- 1970
- industrial dump sites
The _____ lists all ______ _____ that do not meet one or more of the standards
- EPA
- impaired waters
Causes of impaired waters
- Coliform Bacteria
- Heavy Metals
- Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- Oxygen-depleting pollution
- Nutrient Pollution
Disease-causing bacteria from untreated human sewage and manure
Coliform Bacteria
- neurotoxins
- released by mining and the use of synthetic fertilizers
Heavy Metals
- synthetic chemicals that do not degrade and are prone to biomagnification and bioaccumulation
- Forever chemicals
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Biodegradable matter consumed by decomposers, who deplete oxygen levels in the water
Oxygen-depleting Pollution
Nitrogen and phosphorous-rich
compounds that promote algae overgrowth
Nutrient Pollution
______ _____ water pollution comes from single, identifiable source
Point source
Point sources
- Factories
- Water treatment plants
______ ____ water pollution comes runoff or infiltration from a wide area
Nonpoint source
Nonpoint source
- Agricultural fields (manure, fertilizer, pesticides)
- City stormwater drains
- Home septic systems
It is an increase in algae growth as
fertilizer enters surface waters
Cultural eutrophication
It promotes algae overgrowth
Elevated nitrates and phosphates
It block sunlight, killing submerged plants
Algae
As the algae die, ________ use up the ______ ______ in the water
- decomposers
- dissolved oxygen
Oligotrophic
- low nutrients
- low turbidity
- high sunlight
Mesotrophic
- Increasing nutrients, turbidity, and algae
- Decreasing sunlight
Eutrophic
- High nutrients
- High turbidity
- Hypoxia, reduced dissolved oxygen
Hypereutrophic
- High nutrients
- High turbidity
- Anoxia, absence of dissolved oxygen
It is a rule that exists for Lake Michigan Fish
3C’s rule
3C’s rule
- Choose
- Clean
- Cook
3C’s rule:
Choose
fish that are primary consumers and not bottom feeders
3C’s rule:
Clean
fish for eating by removing as much fat as possible
3C’s rule:
Cook
fish on a grill or grate
Drinking Water Regulations
- Safe Drinking Water Act (EPA)
- Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDA)
It sets limits and testing requirements for contaminants in municipal tap water
Safe Drinking Water Act (EPA)
Generally fewer testing and contaminant requirements than tap water
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDA)
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDA):
Water must be classified
- Artesian: Confined aquifer
- Mineral/Spring: Unconfined aquifer
- Purified: Tapwater
The act that required tankers to have a double hull design by 2015 and increased the legal liability of oil companies for spills
Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Impacts of oil spills
- Mammals
- Birds
- Fish and Plankton
- Benthos
- Coastal Ecosystems
Impacts of oil spills in Mammals
It penetrates their fur, causing hypothermia in cold waters
Impacts of oil spills in Birds
It penetrates their feathers, preventing flight and causing hypothermia
Impacts of oil spills in Fish and Plankton
Oil is directly toxic to
them
Impacts of oil spills in Coastal Ecosystems
Oil washes up on shore, polluting beaches and wetlands
Impacts of oil spills to Benthos
If dispersants are used, oil sinks to the bottom of the sea and suffocates benthic communities
Plastics are not biodegradable but will break down into smaller pieces as they are exposed to sunlight, forming tiny ________
microplastics
Microplastics _____________ in fish and shellfish, then _________ through the food chain
- bioaccumulate
- biomagnify
