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Enviromental Science > Water > Flashcards

Water Flashcards

(50 cards)

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1
Q

Functions of the water cycle

A
  • transport water

* clean water

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2
Q

The water cycle is a closed cycle

A
  • net loss at sea =sea = net gain on land

* The same water molecules are cycled over and over again (sort of)

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3
Q

The water table

A

Most of the world’s accessible and usable water is underground

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4
Q

Underground water

A
  • flows through soil, sediments are rock called aquifers
  • water flow slowly through the aquifer
  • Flows from the source to the sink
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5
Q

Permeability

A

Water flows through different aquifers at different rates

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6
Q

Aquifer

A

Permeable to water

Example: limestone, sandstone, sand

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7
Q

Aquiclude

A

Impermeable to water

Example: Clay, shale

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8
Q

aquitard

A

Semi permeable to water

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9
Q

Unconfined aquifer

A

Open to recharge from above

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10
Q

Confined aquifer

A

Aquifer underneath an aquiclude

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11
Q

Recharge area

A

Area where water is allowed to infiltrate the water table. Maybe far away from where water is removed from aquifer

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12
Q

Water table level

A

• irregular and unpredictable

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13
Q

Perched water table

A

Water table located a top an aquifer

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14
Q

Absorption factors

A
  • Slope of surface
  • vegetation
  • surface material
  • Rainfall intensity
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15
Q

Reservoirs

A

Sink that groundwater flows into

Example: lakes, streams, Wells

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16
Q

Effluent

A

Water table flows into stream

Example: Fox River

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17
Q

Influent

A

Stream flows into the water table

Example: Colorado River

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18
Q

Wells

A

Hole in the aquifer that water flows into

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19
Q

Cone of depression

A
  • Area around a while where the water table is lower
  • can drain other wells
  • Used to isolate landfills
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20
Q

Artesian well

A

Place where water naturally flows out of the ground due to a confined aquifer

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21
Q

The truth about bottled water

Study These Flashcards
A

No such thing as pure

22
Q

Where does our water come from

Study These Flashcards
A

GREEN BAY: Lake Michigan

SUBURBS: buy Lake Michigan water from Manitowoc

HOWARD & SUAMICO: well water

23
Q

Hard water

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Calcium, iron and other minerals dissolved in the water

* Stains sinks, clogs pipes, blocks cleaning action of soap

24
Q

Radiation

Study These Flashcards
A

Radioactive decay from rocks; radium

25
Other contamination not caused by humans
Natural organic sediments (swamps) erosion
26
Salt water intrusion
Fresh water is removed and see water flows into aquifer
27
Organic waste
Contamination from poorly managed septic tanks or landfills causes pathogen growth
28
Agricultural and urban seepage
Pesticides , chemicals and fertilizers
29
Point source pollution
One specific discharge • factories, urban sewage, treatment plants • higher concentration of pollutants • easy to monitor
30
Non-point source pollution
``` Broad areas of discharge • farmers fields, urban runoff • lower concentration • longer time of discharge •Harder to monitor ```
31
Urban runoff
* City storm sewers contain many contaminants * May or may not be treated depending on city * Treating run off creates problems for treatment plants during floods. Storm sewers and municipal sewer's are usually separate
32
Erosion
* can destroy fish habitat, wetlands, and collect hazardous waste * Poorly designed streets, subdivisions and parking lots can create severe erosion problems
33
Pathogens
``` Disease Causing organisms • dysentery • typhoid •Cholera • hepatitis • Giardia • schistosomiasis ```
34
Sources of pathogens
* untreated sewage * septic seepage * boat discharge * rotten meat
35
Coliform bacteria
* present in the human digestive tract * used as an easy test for the presence of human waste in the water * Some screens can be a pathogen
36
Oxygen depletion
Oxygen is added to water through the water/air interface in by aquatic plants
37
Importance of oxygen
* allows bacteria to digest organic material aerobically | * Used by aquatic plants and animals
38
Consequences of low oxygen
* anaerobic digestion creates dangerous by products like methane or sulfur dioxide * Low oxygen levels kill oxygen sensitive fish
39
Causes of oxygen depletion
* as water temperature goes up, oxygen concentration goes down * Organic waste causes bacteria to use up oxygen through aerobic digestion
40
Eutrophication
* Increasing plant growth chokes out other plant life * plants Die and rot decreasing the oxygen level in the water * Causes lakes and streams to fill in faster
41
Causes of eutrophication
* Life stock/animal waste * nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers * soap and detergents
42
Drainage field
* Area where wastewater is about slowly percolate over sand or gravel * bacteria clean water
43
mound system
Drainage area placed above the ground level due to poorly draining soil
44
Holding tank
Some areas cannot have septic systems. Sewage is held untreated in the tank and regularly pumped out and trucked to a treatment plan
45
Urban Sewage treatment Step one:filtering
Large particles are removed and landfilled or incinerated
46
Urban sewage treatment Step two: primary settling- secondary settling
Gravities used to separate liquids from Grit, solids and grease
47
Urban sewage treatment Step three: aeration
* Air pump through liquid to increase bacterial growth * Bacteria digest organic compounds * Irrigation allows aerobic digestion * some plants use alternate methods such as activated sludge it trickle filter systems
48
Urban sewage treatment Step four: disinfection
Maybe chemical or irradiation
49
Urban sewage treatment Step five: sludge disposal
* Final solids are sent to a landfill or incinerated | * Some treatment plants create fertilizer out of solids
50
William Mulholland
* Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 * brought the Owens River to Los Angeles * San Fernando little water * March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam collapsed

Enviromental Science (4 decks)

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