Before
ANTICIPATION GUIDE - SURFACE-WATER CONTAMINATION AND LAND USE
After
Read the following statements and check whether you agree or disagree in the left
column. After reading the article, write an evidence statement to prove or disprove
the statement.
Agree
Disagree
Agree
1. One of the most important factors affecting surface water quality is how the
land around the watershed is being used.
2. Point source pollution includes runoff from lawns, roads, or fields and are easily
identified or measured as point sources.
3. Human activity can directly impact the degree of water pollution in an area.
Disagree
4. Soil erosion and water runoff from cropland into nearby streams can be a major
source of sediment in watersheds dominated by urban areas.
5. The use of buffer strips can reduce contaminants in waterways.
6. Sediment doesn't become a problem because its deposition in streams and lakes
doesn't ruin the habitat for aquatic plants and animals.
7. The most important factor for sediment transport is natural factors such as, soil
type and geology.
8. Depleted nitrogen levels, combined with elevated concentrations of oxygen that
are typically found in the treated waste water, can be toxic to benthic (bottom
dwellers) fauna and fish.