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Chapter 15
Freshwater systems
Water may seem abundant, but drinkable water is rare Freshwater = relatively pure, with few dissolved salts - Most is tied up in glaciers, ice caps, and aquifers
A typical lake
A typical aquifer
The worlds largest known aquifer Underlies the Great Plains of the U.S.
Its water has allowed farmers to create the most bountiful grain-producing region in the world
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Many densely populated areas are water-poor and face serious water shortages
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Farmers in Californias Imperial Valley pay only 1 penny for 220 gallons of water
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The once mighty Colorado River has been extensively diverted and used
A major levee along the Mississippi River failed after Hurricane Katrina, allowing parts of New Orleans to be flooded
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A typical dam
The Colorado River often does not reach the Gulf of California
People have begun saving the northern part of the Aral Sea
Energy costs of bottled water are 1,0002,000 times greater than those of tap water
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Near Yuma, Arizona Intended to remove salt from irrigation runoff Too expensive to operate and closed after 8 months - Engineers are trying to re-open it in a costeffective way
Shift to processes that use less water - Wastewater recycling Use excess surface water runoff to recharge aquifers Patch leaky pipes and retrofit homes with efficient plumbing Audit industries Promote conservation/education
Nutrient pollution
Nutrient pollution from fertilizers, farms, sewage, lawns, golf courses leads to eutrophication - Fertilizers add phosphorus to water, which boosts algal and aquatic plant growth - Spreading algae cover the surface, decreasing sunlight - Bacteria eat dead algae, reducing dissolved oxygen - Fish and shellfish die Solutions include treating wastewater - Reducing fertilizer application - Using phosphate-free detergents - Planting vegetation to increase nutrient uptake
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Toxic chemicals
Pesticides, petroleum products, synthetic chemicals - Arsenic, lead, mercury, acid rain, acid drainage from mines Effects include poisoned animals and plants, altered aquatic ecosystems, and decreased human health Solutions: - Issue and enforce more stringent regulations of industry - Modify industrial processes - Modify our purchasing decisions
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Sediment pollution
Sediment in rivers can impair aquatic ecosystems Clear-cutting, mining, clearing land for housing, and cultivating farm fields expose soil to erosion It dramatically changes aquatic habitats - Fish may not survive Solutions: - Better management of farms and forests - Avoid large-scale disturbance of vegetation
Thermal pollution
Water that is too warm causes problems - Warmer water holds less oxygen - Dissolved oxygen decreases as temperature increases - Industrial cooling heats water - Removing streamside cover raises water temperature Water that is too cold also causes problems - Water at the bottom of reservoirs behind dams is colder - When water is released, downstream water temperatures drop suddenly, killing aquatic organisms
Scientists measure properties of water to characterize its quality - Biological indicators: presence of fecal coliform bacteria, disease-causing organisms, algae, etc. - Chemical indicators: nutrient concentrations, pH, taste, odor, hardness, dissolved oxygen - Physical indicators: color, temperature, turbidity
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Conclusion
Obtaining future supplies of freshwater requires citizen action, legislation and regulation, technology, economic incentives, and education With expanding population and increasing water usage, we are approaching conditions of widespread scarcity Water pollution is already harming health, economies, and societies of both rich and poor nations Better regulation has improved water quality in the U.S. and other developed nations
QUESTION: Review
The picture shows a(n): a) b) c) d) Braided river Meandering river Oxbow River delta
QUESTION: Review
The area of a lake that rings the edge and contains rooted plants is called the _______ zone. a) b) c) d) Littoral Benthic Limnetic Profundal
QUESTION: Review
An unconfined aquifer is defined as:
a) An aquifer that traps porous rocks between layers of less permeable substrate b) An aquifer that traps porous rocks under one layer of less permeable substrate c) An aquifer with porous rocks resting on bedrock d) An aquifer with no upper layer
QUESTION: Review
Why do governments subsidize irrigation?
a) b) c) d) It promotes food self-sufficiency. Governments have to or food could not be grown. Governments want to lower water tables. Governments do not subsidize irrigation.
QUESTION: Review
Which of the following statements is NOT true about dams? a) b) c) d) They change habitat. They generate electrical power. They have created more farmland upstream. Pollutants are trapped in reservoirs.
QUESTION: Review
Which of the following is a point source of water pollution? a) b) c) d) A factory Roads Agricultural fields All are point sources
QUESTION: Review
Which of the following type of water pollution causes the most severe human health problems? a) b) c) d) Nutrient pollution Pathogens Toxic chemicals Sediment pollution
QUESTION: Review
Which statement is NOT correct regarding using artificial wetlands to treat wastewater? a) b) c) d) Water first undergoes primary treatment. Microbes decompose pollutants. Cleansed water cannot be released into waterways. They are good areas for wildlife.
QUESTION: Viewpoints
During times of drought, conflicts erupt between farmers (who need water for irrigation) and ecologists (who want water left in rivers to protect wildlife). Who should have the highest priority?
a) Farmers - they need the water for their crops. b) Wildlife - animals will die without water. c) Farmers should be paid subsidies to withdraw water from other places. d) Farmers should be paid to plant different crops that do not require so much water.
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