*Surface Water Flashcards
(39 cards)
Fill in the blank:
Different uses for water require different levels of __________
purity
Name five water withdrawals
Thermal power
Manufacturing
Agriculture
Municipal
Mining
When does water pollution occur?
When discharges of energy or materials degrade water
Water pollution can be classified according to…
The nature of pollutants
The sources releasing pollutants
The bodies of water where the pollutants are discharged into
How is water pollution measured?
By the concentration of the pollutants in the body of water and their effects on the water uses
Name 6 concerning water pollutants
Oxygen-demanding wastes
Nutrients
Thermal pollution
Toxic materials
Acidification
Pathogens
Roughly how much dissolved oxygen do healthy fish need?
5 mg/L or 5 ppm
Oxygen required does not depend on the type of fish present in the water, true or false?
False
Name another way pollution in surface water is measured that doesn’t include pollutant concentration
Potential for oxygen depletion
What does BOD stand for?
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
How is BOD created?
Through oxygen demanding wastes decaying in the water body
Can animal shit contribute to oxygen depletion?
Yes
What are two other types of BOD?
CBOD and NBOD
Are the 5 day BOD tests affected by nitrification?
No, NBOD starts after 5 days
Name the 6 chemicals that are essential to human growth
Nitrogren
Phosphorous
Potassium
Iron
Sulphur
Carbon
Explain eutrophication
A process in which water bodies receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth
What types of sources can nutrients come from?
Fertilizers (golf course, lawns)
Nitrogen deposits (atmosphere)
Soil (erosion)
Sewage (treatment plants)
Algal blooms have no effect on oxygen levels
False, they deplete oxygen levels
Thermal pollution results in
Reducing dissolved oxygen
Accelerating eutrophication
Affecting ecological processes
Blocking migration paths of fish
Name three causes of thermal pollution and describe how they occur
Power plants
> heat from fossil fuels is disposed of in natural water bodies
Deforestation of shoreline
> aggravates soil erosion and increases the amount of light that strikes the water
Soil erosion
> increased light absorption in water bodies that raises the temperature of the water
Are temperature increases as small as 1 degree C in water a problem?
Yes, this can still drive away or kill off native fish and plants
What are pathogens and name four examples?
They are infectious diseases in water and include:
> Bacteria
> Viruses (hepatitis)
> Protozoa
> Helminth (parasitic worms)
What are 4 transmission methods for diseases associated with water?
Waterborne: ingesting contaminated water
Water-washed: lack of sufficient water to maintain cleanliness
Water-based: water contact but no ingestion
Water-related: involves a host that depends on water for its habitat
What is the allowable concentration of total dissolved solids in drinking water?
less than 500 ppm
