Unit D: Hydrology Study Guide Name:____________________________ 1. I can illustrate the water cycle to explain the connection between groundwater and surface water a. Transpiration: water vapor being released by vegetation, acts as a cooling process and can affect climate b. Infiltration: movement of surface water into and through the ground. Infiltration allows surface water to become groundwater. c. If infiltration increases, then groundwater increases and surface water decreases. d. If infiltration decreases, then groundwater decreases and surface water increases. e. 2. I can explain river systems including NC river basins, aquifers and watersheds a. b. Watersheds aka drainage basins- areas where water converges to a point of lower elevation. They are separated by areas of higher elevation. c. River basins - a group of collective watersheds that contribute to a single major river i. Rivers all move downhill, so the basins are separated by areas of higher elevation. Rivers start as creeks, streams, tributaries, or even as other rivers, and then come together into a main river. These are called the headwaters. The runoff from the entire river basin contributes to the same river. Rivers end in other rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean, where they release all of sediment carried with the water. d. Aquifers - areas of groundwater where the sediment has a high permeability, allowing wells to extract water easily. 3. I can explain how flood events might be affected by groundwater levels. a. Porosity - the measure of the total amount of pore space in between soil particles b. Permeability - the measure of the ability of water to flow through the pore spaces or cracks of rock/soil c. i. Clay soils typically have a low permeability and create poor aquifers, due to smaller pores. ii. sandy/gravelly soils have a high permeability and create good aquifers, due to larger pores. d. Higher water table = more likely to flood; a high water table is like a full drink where more liquid will cause it to overflow (flood). e. Urbanization → cement (impermeable ground) → less groundwater → more runoff → flooding 4. I can explain how the density of ocean water is affected by temperature and how this results in major ocean currents a. b. Surface currents are directed by wind belts. They can carry warm/cold water and affect weather. Warm water comes from the equator, cold water comes from the poles. For example, the Gulf Stream brings warm water from the equator and warms the climates of the New York City and London. c. d. Density currents can be more complex. They are affected by changes in temperature and salinity. This causes the water to rise and sink and move in more complex patterns. The total connection of all density currents is called the thermohaline current or the global ocean conveyor belt. e. 5. I can explain the effects of human activity on shorelines a. Shorelines and shoreline features are created by a processes of water/wave erosion and deposition. b. Beach nourishment is a method of bringing in sand and using it to add to the beach. Because it doesn’t prevent the erosion from happening again, it is known as a short term solution. c. Seawalls, jetties and terminal groins are a more permanent solution, but create other problems. By decreasing erosion and increasing deposition in one area, they increase erosion and decrease deposition in other areas. 6. I can evaluate the effects of population growth on water resources and explain various water uses by humans and evaluate for benefits and consequences a. Increases in population can lead to ____________. i. Increases in water pollution (diseases, acidity, fertilizer/eutrophication, and pesticides). ii. Decreases in water availability; increases in water consumption 7. I can explain how various forms of water pollution impact water quality Pollutant Examples Source Effect Sediment soil Erosion Disrupts food web, decreases photosynthesis in aquatic plants Pesticide Insecticide (DDT), herbicide (Round-Up) Farm/yard runoff Cancers, nervous system disorders, birth defects Fertilizer phosphorous/nitrates, synthetic or organic farm/yard runoff Eutrophication, dead zones Fecal coliform Animal or human wastes Farm runoff, sewage leak Diseases (E. Coli sickness) Plastics Bags, bottles, beads Landfills, urban runoff Disrupts food web, doesn’t degrade, a. 8. I can evaluate conservation measures to maximize the quality and quantity of available freshwater including the impact of wastewater treatment systems a. __________ → increase in potable water or water availability. i. Decreasing use of water aka decreasing population ii. Increasing water treatment iii. Decreasing irrigation aka decreasing agriculture Vocabulary surface current - current at the surface of the ocean created by wind movements and the coriolis effect density current - deepwater currents formed by changes in temperature or salinity Density - a measurement of mass per volume, more dense things usually sink, less dense things float Porosity - the measure of space in the pores of soil or rock Permeability - the measure of a substance’s ability to transmit fluid water table - where the zone of saturation begins Infiltration - the movement of water into and through the ground Evaporation - liquid water changing to water vapor Transpiration - water vapor being released from vegetation as a cooling process, much like sweating Aquifer - an area of groundwater with high permeability Watershed - an area where water converges to a single point at a lower elevation river basin - an area of watersheds converging into a larger river Salinity - the measure of salt in water Groins - a structure that traps sand on the beach Jetties - a structure that prevents deposition and keeps harbors open Seawalls - a structure that prevents inland erosion, but often increase coastal erosion beach nourishment - adding sand to a beach salt water intrusion - the movement of saltwater in coastal areas into fresh groundwater Estuary - an area where salt and fresh water meet estuary degradation - the pollution and destruction of estuaries through human activity Wetlands - areas that are permanently or seasonally saturated with water non-point source pollution - pollution that cannot be traced back to the source, e.g. runoff aquifer depletion - using groundwater at a rate faster than the water is being replenished, e.g. through overuse of irrigation Subsidence - the sinking of the surface elevation due to over aquifer depletion biotic index - the measurement of living organisms in an area Sedimentation - build-up of sediment, i.e. sediment pollution, can clog areas and disrupt food chains Study Guide Warm Ups 1. Draw the water cycle including the terms: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, transpiration, and infiltration 2. Where does a river start? Where does a river end? 3. Name and describe 3 factors that would affect the rate of infiltration. a. b. c. 4. Fill in the missing boxes for (A) - (D) 5. Current Ocean North/Southern Hemisphere Warm or Cold Toward or away from equator (A) Atlantic Northern Warm Away California Pacific Northern (B) (C) Brazil (D) Southern Warm Away A barrier island seems to be in a new location. What could be the cause? a. b. c. d. 6. The north region of the island washed away, and its south region was built up. The ocean current pulled the whole barrier island south Tectonic plates under the barrier islands shifted the island. The floating barrier island, as a whole, drifted south. Match the cause of water pollution with the effect. Fertilizer runoff (A) (B) Cancer causing chemicals, birth defects (C) Non-degradable pollution, disrupts food webs 7. Name three major sources of water consumption: a. b. c. 8. How could a water treatment plant impact the availability of freshwater? Extra Resources https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/videos/water-cycle-animation - Water Cycle Animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjByja9ejTQ - Why do Clouds stay Up? https://vimeo.com/113539794 - Bill Nye Water Cycle https://vimeo.com/151860654 - Planet Earth: Pole to Pole (@31:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVsj1pmhiJE - Golf Balls in the Pacific https://vimeo.com/11704000 - Great Pacific Garbage Patch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXFsS94HF08 - Ogallala Aquifer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guqinVOHTqc - How Aquifer’s Work http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/pdf/06SanJoaquinValley.pdf - San Joaquin Valley Subsidence Article https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRbUi33ojsw - San Joaquin Valley Subsidence Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On9WRrFHVjY - How Much Water Do We Use? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIaw5mCjHPI - Water: our most precious resource https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQRvN6MUajE - Groundwater Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRd1ZIjQZd4 - Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAT1gLMPu4 - Eutrophication https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mXosTkwtYs - BPA: Good or Bad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d3MmTrwmI8 - The People vs Nestle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saSgpX186MM - Most Bottled Water is Tap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2mdFB7UTqc - Comedian Jim Gaffigan on Bottled Water
