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Food, Population & Environment > Water Resources > Flashcards

Water Resources Flashcards

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1
Q

The majority (97.5%) of Earth’s water resides in…

A

oceans and is too salty to drink or use for irrigation.

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2
Q

Only _____ is of Earth’s water is considered fresh water.

A

2.5%

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3
Q

fresh water

A

water relatively pure and free from salts

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4
Q

surface water

A

located atop Earth’s surface (i.e. river/lake)

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5
Q

groundwater

A

water beneath surface that reside within pores in soil or rock

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6
Q

Water that does not evaporate, flow into waterways, or get taken up by organisms will…

A

infiltrate the groundwater.

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7
Q

Groundwater can remain underground for…

A

1000s of years.

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8
Q

aquifers

A

porous, spongelike formations of rock and sand

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9
Q

Groundwater is contained within…

A

aquifers.

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10
Q

water table

A

upper border or layer completely filled with water

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11
Q

recharge zone

A

any area where water can infiltrate through surface and reach the aquiferCon

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12
Q

What is the difference between confined and unconfined aquifers?

A

Confined aquifers are trapped between impermeable clay; Unconfined aquifers are not.

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13
Q

Ogallala Aquifer

A

largest known aquifer located under Great Plains of the US

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14
Q

Water of the Ogallala Aquifer is being withdrawn…

A

much faster than it can be recharged, resulting in reductions in volume in many places.

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15
Q

The area of land drained by a river system and all of its tributaries makes up…

A

that river’s watershed.

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16
Q

wetlands

A

systems where soil is saturated with water often containing standing shallow water

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17
Q

Wetlands provide water-related ecosystems services including…

A

(1) slowing runoff
(2) reducing flooding
(3) recharging aquifers
(4) filtering pollutants

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18
Q

Wetlands have been heavily impacted by human activities including…

A

(1) draining and filling for agriculture
(2) withdrawing water for irrigation
(3) construction of dams

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19
Q

Fresh water and human populations are…

A

unevenly distributed around Earth.

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20
Q

Climate differences and other factors have created…

A

varying amounts of groundwater, surface water, and precipitation across Earth.

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21
Q

In US, agriculture comprises of _____ of fresh water use.

A

41%

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22
Q

In US, domestic and municipal comprises of ____ of fresh water use.

A

10%

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23
Q

In US, energy production comprises of _____ of fresh water use.

A

38%

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24
Q

Increased demand for irrigation has led to…

A

consumptive use of aquifers and surface waters.

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25
Q

consumptive use

A

removing water for use, but do not return it

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26
Q

nonconsumptive use

A

does not remove or only temporarily removes water from source for use (i.e. hydroelectric dams)

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27
Q

water mining

A

withdrawal of water faster than it can be replenished

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28
Q

Aquifer depletion occurs when…

A

water withdrawals exceed recharge rates.

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29
Q

Groundwater in southern Great Plains and southern US is…

A

being withdrawn much faster than its replacement rate.

30
Q

Where else in the world is aquifer depletion a serious concern?

A

Southern Europe, Middle East, northern Africa, India, northern China

31
Q

Groundwater is depleted more easily than surface water because…

A

it is recharged so slowly.

32
Q

As aquifers are mined, water tables…

A

drop.

33
Q

Withdrawals from the Ogallala Aquifer exceed its recharge rates by…

A

x8-10 in many places.

34
Q

What are some possible consequences of aquifer depletion?

A

(1) Water scarcity
(2) Aquifer subsidence
(3) Saltwater intrusion

35
Q

aquifer subsidence

A

consequence of aquifer subsidence in which the overlying strata becomes unsupported, causing the land surface to subside

36
Q

Aquifer subsidence can cause…

A

building to lean or large land areas to suddenly collapse.

37
Q

saltwater intrusion

A

overextraction of groundwater in coastal areas, resulting in saltwater to intrude into inland aquifers

38
Q

Saltwater intrusion have impacted coastal regions in California, Florida, India and the Middle East because…

A

coastal wells have been drawing up saline water instead of fresh water.

39
Q

Aral Sea dying as a result of…

A

(1) heavy irrigation near rivers that feed it
(2) Soviet Union’s desire to develop huge cotton plantations
(3) Canals often leaked

40
Q

The Aral Sea has shrunk by _____ in the last 50 years.

A

90%

41
Q

What are some of the environmental and economic consequences of the drying of the Aral Sea?

A

(1) Decline of fishing industry (Loss of 60,000 jobs)
(2) Decreased area income, increased unemployment
(3) Severe widespread health problems (dried lakebed contaminated with agricultural chemicals)
(4) Soil degrading from salty dust
(5) Climate change (i.e. hotter/drier summers, colder winters)
(6) Destroyed ecosystem

42
Q

What efforts are being made to replenish the Aral Sea?

A

(1) 2005 dam project
(2) Water level rose 12m between 2003 and 2008
(3) Drop in salinity prompted fish return

43
Q

Large depletable aquifers are typically…

A

common-property resources.

44
Q

Over-exploitation of aquifers occurs if users do not…

A

bear the full social cost of extraction.

45
Q

Surface water scarcity may be alleviated by…

A

(1) modifying local water allocation laws and creating conversation incentives
(2) taxes
(3) making regional water treaties/transfers
(4) building reservoirs and dams

46
Q

Doctrine of Riparian Rights

A
  • Developed in water-abundant eastern United States
  • Take all you need, but leave enough for downstream users
  • Most riparian states use permits presently to regulate riparian system
47
Q

Doctrine of Prior Appropriation
(Appropriative Rights Doctrine)

A
  • First-come, first-serve rule
  • Use it or lose it principle
48
Q

What are some problems with the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation?

A
  • In times of scarcity, downstream users might have no water
  • “Use it or lose it” rule does not give upstream users any incentive for conservation
49
Q

What are some solutions to resolve the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation?

A
  • Water markets
  • Hybrid systems
50
Q

dam

A

any obstruction place in river/stream to block water flow

51
Q

Dams are built to…

A

(1) prevent floods
(2) provide drinking water
(3) allow irrigation
(4) generate electricity

52
Q

What are some disadvantages of dams?

A

(1) Displacement of population
(2) Sediment settlement behind dam, filling reservoir and not nourishing downstream floodplains
(3) Habitat alteration
(4) Fisheries decline from thermal pollution and migration blockage

53
Q

Some dams are being removed to…

A

(1) Restore riparian ecosystems
(2) Reestablish fisheries
(3) Revive river recreation
(4) Return habitats at the mouths of rivers

54
Q

Reservoir storage capacity decreases overtime because of…

A

sedimentatation.

55
Q

What are some consequences of sedimentation?

A

(1) Less reliable water and power supply
(2) Short life of dams
(3) Lower economic benefits (i.e. hydropower, municipal water supply)

56
Q

What are three sediment management options?

A

(1) Prevention: watershed management
(2) Structural accommodation: sediment traps
(3) Removal: Flushing, dredging, hydrosuction, trucking

57
Q

What are solution for fresh water depletion?

A

(1) Increasing supply
(2) Decreasing demand

58
Q

We can increase the supply of fresh water by…

A

intensive extraction (temporary fix).

59
Q

We can decrease the demand of fresh water by…

A

funding demand-based solution through international aid agencies

60
Q

desalination

A

removal of salt from seawater or other water

61
Q

Desalination process include…

A

(1) distilling (evaporation, then condensation)
(2) reverse osmosis (forcing water through membranes)

62
Q

What are some of the problems with desalinization?

A

(1) EXPENSIVE
(2) Requires large energy inputs (fossil fuels)
(3) Kills aquatic life
(4) Generates salty waste

63
Q

Agricultural demand for fresh water can be reduced through conservation methods like…

A

(1) Lining irrigation canals to prevent leaks
(2) Leveling fields to minimize runoff
(3) Moving to more efficient irrigation methods
(4) Eliminating water subsidies
(5) Using selective breeding/genetic modification to produce crops requiring less water
(6) Eliminating water intensive crops from arid regions

64
Q

Residential water use can be reduced by…

A

(1) Install low flow appliances
(2) rainwater harvesting
(3) grey water
(4) xeriscaping (using plants adapted to arid conditions)

65
Q

Industries and municipalities can reduce water use by…

A

(1) Recycle wastewater
(2) Use surface water runoff to recharge aquifers
(3) Patch leaky pipes

66
Q

People can affect aquatic ecosystems by…

A

(1) overdrawing water
(2) introducing toxic substances and disease-causing microorganisms

67
Q

water pollution

A

any changes in chemical/physical/biological properties of water due to human activity

68
Q

point sources

A

discrete locations that release water pollution

69
Q

non-point sources

A

multiple inputs over large areas (i.e. farms, city streets, residential neighborhoods)

70
Q

eutrophication

A

excessive richness of nutrients in body of water causing a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen

71
Q

dead-zone

A

very-low oxygen waters due to nutrient flow (i.e. Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi river)

72
Q

wastewater

A

water affected by human activities (i.e. toilet water, sinks, dishwashers)

Food, Population & Environment (7 decks)

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