Groundwater Contamination Assignment: High school Environmental Sciences
Graphic I: The Water Cycle
Refer to this image to understand some of the definitions that may be used in the text.
1.The following questions refer to site #1
a. What was the groundwater in Hinkley,California contaminated with?
b. Where did the contaminants come from?
c. Describe the topographic features of this area. You may even sketch them if you like. Explain
which topographic features you think contributed to the groundwater contamination in this
town.
2.The following questions refer to site #2
a. Which contaminants were present in Las Cruces, New Mexico?
b. Notice how the table also mentions contaminants below legal limits but above health guide
lines. List 3 of these contaminants and describe the hazards associated with each.
c. Explore the topographic features of the Las Cruces area. You are welcome to make a sketch of
the topographic features. Explain which topographic features you think contributed to the
groundwater pollution in Las Cruces.
3. The following questions refer to site #3
a. Which contaminants were present in South Bass Island, Ohio? How was this groundwater
contaminant different from the contaminants found in Hinkley, California and Las Cruces, New Mexico?
b. Watch the youtube video about the Greater Cleveland Area and explain why groundwater
contamination in South Bass Island was a bit more detrimental than the contamination at the other two
sites. Hint (The answer has more to do with the economics of the area rather than the geology).
c.Explore the topographical features of this area. You may even sketch out this area if you like.
Explain which topographic features you think contributed to the groundwater contamination in
this area.
4. The following questions pertain to site #4
a.Which contaminants were present in this part of New York? Why are these kinds of
contaminants so dangerous?
b. Watch the youtube video and explain why water gets contaminated so quickly from shallow
disposal systems. Do you think shallow disposal systems had something to do with the contamination in
this part of New York?
c.Explore the topographic features of this area. You may even make a sketch of the area if you like.
Explain which topographic features you think contributed to the groundwater contamination in this
part of New York.
5. The following questions pertain to site #5
a. Which contaminants were present in New Port, Maine. Where did they come from?
b. Watch the youtube video on the water cycle. Notice that New Port, Maine is relatively
close to the coastline of Maine. Using the video and link from site #1 explain how groundwater moves.
What kinds of risks might there be for the coast of Maine?
c.Explore the topographic features of this area. You may even make a sketch of the area
if you like. Explain which topographic features you think contributed to the groundwater
contamination in this area.