Chapter 21 Questions 1.

water has three unique properties: the capacity to absorb and store heat, it is a universal solvent, high surface tension 2. . 1% of total water on earth is for people plants and animals. 3. The average water consumption per day for humans is about 2000 gallons. 4. Groundwater refers to the water below the water table or is below the surface. Surface water is the visible water about the water table. 5. Desalinization is extremely expensive. It can also pollute other environments when extremely salty water is let out at bays and such. 6. Water from the two rivers that def into the aral sea was diverted, and is now turning it into a salt flat. The salt content has increased fish kills and is killing the ecosystem. 7. If I was a farmer I would use a gray water system and attempt to water my plants with gray water. I would use precision sprinklers to water my plants, reducing the amount of water I needed an possibly moisture sensors so I wouldnt need to watr my plants all the time. 8. A standard toilet needs 5 gallons to flush. A low flow toilet usually uses around 1.6 gallons. 9. Gray water is water that isnt suitable for drinking but is clean enough to water plants with and such. It is like the water we shower with. 10. Southern California, Denver, Chicago, and Tampa are suffering from water supply issues. 11. Wetlands: are a natural sponge for water, a primary nursery ground for many organisms, are natural filters that help purify water. 12. Dams: a. Pros: recreational activities, generating electricity, providing flood control b. Cons- loss of land and biological resources, trapped sediment, fragmentation of ecosystems 13. Canals have smooth steep banks, and the water moves a lot faster. They are water that has been routed downstream by way of natural watercourses or canals and aqueducts. 14. When the dams start damaging the environment too severely for example they stop fish migration or they are filled with sediment they can be removed. 15. The kissimee river was channelized but it failed to protect against floods and also damaged the wildlife habitat and contributed to water quality problems, so then it was restored into its natural state which cost a lot of money and work. 16. Even though a state or country is entitled to a certain amount of water from the river it is really variable as the river is something of nature and cannot be controlled to flow exactly a certain amount to a certain place. 17. Xerascaping is landscaping in a way that reduces the need for irrigation. It is used in places that dont have water that is easily accessible. 18. I can take shorter showers, get a grey water system, and get more efficient sprinklers to reduce my water consumption.

19. Aquifieds which are undergrounf bodies of earth in which groundwater can be obtained are considered non-renewable because once thye are used up they can not be restored. 20. Deltas are really fertile because they have the nutrients from a lot of water flow, and if this scheme is changed their will be less nutrients and organisms will die.