What are some of the benefits of using reclaimed water?
People save money because reclaimed water is less expensive, reclaimed water has traces of nitrogen
and phosphorus, it leaves more fresh drinking water available to the rest of the community and
constructed wetlands that accept the water help the natural environment by creating wildlife habitat as
well as green space for recreational activities.
1: What are some of the factors that make water so special?
Water has a high capacity to absorb and store heat, it is the universal solvent, it can dissolve a great
variety of compounds, it has a high surface tension, a property that is important in physical and
biological processes and is the only compound whose solid form is lighter than liquid form.
2: What is the largest reservoir of water on Earth?
The ocean is the largest reservoir on Earth.
What is the largest reservoir of freshwater on Earth?
The largest reservoir of freshwater on earth are lakes.
3: What is the residence time of water in the atmosphere?
The average residence time of water in the atmosphere is 9 days.
4: What is the water table?
The upper surface of groundwater is called the water table
5: What is a discharge zone?
Places where groundwater flows or seeps out at the surface is called the discharge zone
6: What is an aquifer?
An underground zone or body of earth material from which groundwater can be obtained at a useful
rate
What is a cone of depression? How is it created?
Cone of depression happens when water is pumped from an aquifer, there water table is depressed
around the well.
7: What is an effluent stream?
A flow that is maintained during the dry season by groundwater seepage into the stream channel from
the subsurface.
What is a stream that flows all year called?
Perennial stream is a stream that flows all year.
8: What is an influent stream?
A stream that is entirely above the water table and flows only in direct response to precipitation.
What is a stream that doesn’t flow all year called?
A stream that doesn't flow all year is called an ephemeral stream.
9: What is a water budget? How is it calculated?
Water budget is a model that balances inputs, outputs and storage of water in a system. It is calculated
by precipitation-evaporation= runoff.
10: What is the average water use for people in the U.S.?
200 gallons a day per person
What is the average water use for people in Europe?
100 gallons a day per person
What is the average water use for people in Sub-Saharan Africa?
5 gallons a day per person
11: How many people in the U.S. use groundwater as a source of drinking water?
Half of the people in the United States use groundwater as a source of drinking water.
12: What problems can groundwater overdraft cause?
Damage to river ecosystems and land subsidence are problems that groundwater overdraft can cause.
13: What is happening to the Ogallala Aquifer (High Plains Aquifer)?
The water at this Aquifer is being used in a rate up to 20 times higher than the rate at which it is being
naturally replaced. The water table has declined in recent years and causes yields to decreased and
energy costs for pumping the water to rise.
14: What is the percentage of salt in saltwater?
3.5%
15: To be used as a freshwater source, the salt content must be reduced to about?
.05%
16: What are some of the environmental impacts of desalination?
Some environmental impacts of desalination is that it can increase salinity in another body of water and
kill some plants and animals.
It can also cause fluctuations of the salt content which may damage the ecosystems.
17: Describe the difference between off-stream use and in-stream use.
Off-stream use is water that is removed from the source and is then returned later on. In-stream use is
water that is used for navigation, hydroelectric power generation, fish and wildlife habitats and
recreation, which is not returned.
18: What is one of the issues with off-stream use in the Pacific Northwest?
Fish are in decline because diversions for agricultural, urban and other uses have reduced stream flow to
the point where fish habitats are damaged.
19: Describe what happened to the Aral Sea?
Diverting water has transformed the inland water from a vibrant ecosystem to a dying sea. The volume
of the sea was reduced by more than 50% and salt content increased to more than twice that of
seawater causing fish kills. Dust and snow are affected the seas also, making a loss of fishing, decline in
tourism and has damaged local economy.
20: What are the two biggest users of freshwater withdrawals?
Two biggest users of freshwater withdrawals were irrigation and thermoelectric industry.
21: What are some of the suggestions for improved irrigation to conserve water?
Some suggestions for improved irrigation to conserve water are to use lined canals to reduce seepage,
use computer monitoring and schedule release of water, integrate the use of surface water and
groundwater to more effectively use the total resource, use improved irrigation systems and to
encourage development of crops that require less water or are more salt-tolerant.
22: Domestic use of water (homes) accounts for 12% of total national water withdrawals?
23: What is Southern California (San Diego) doing to help with water shortages in the future?
San Diego is building desalination plants and considering raising the height of dams so more water can
be stored for urban uses.
24: List 5 things that you can do at home to help conserve water usage
* Take a long bath instead of a long shower
* Don't hose sidewalks
* Flush only when necessary
*Turn off water when not absolutely needed for washing
*Use drip irrigation
25: What is virtual water?
Virtual water is the amount of water necessary to produce a product, such as an automobile.
26: How much water does it take to make a cup of coffee?
40 gallons of water is needed to make a cup of coffee.
27: How much water does it take to raise beef?
The amount of water to raise beef is 15,500m^3
28: How do we define wetlands?
Wetlands may be defined as areas inundated by water or saturated to a depth of a few centimeters for
at least a few days per year.
29: Wetlands are very important, what are the natural service functions of wetlands?
Wetlands are important areas of groundwater recharge, are a natural sponge for water and are natural
filters that help purify water. It is also highly productive and are places where many nutrients and
chemicals are naturally cycled.
30: How much of the original wetlands of the U.S. have disappeared? 50%
31: What did the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 require?
The National Environmental Policy Act required the developer to obtain or create additional wetlands at
another site to compensate the destruction or damage to wetlands by a particular project
32: Explain the environmental impacts of dams
Dams cause a loss of land, cultural resources and biological resources. It also is a potential flood hazard
if the dams fall. There could be restricted movement upstream and downstream of organic material,
nutrients and ecosystems and there is fragmentation of ecosystems above and below a dam.
33: What are the PROS and CONS of the Three Gorges Dam?
PRO-Worlds largest dam, produces a reservoir nearly 600km long. Produces 18,000 MW of electricity.
CONS-drowned cities, farm fields, sites and displaced homes. Caused the extinction of the Baiji Dolphin.
Raw sewage and pollutants that are discharged into the river. Gives people false sense of security.
34: What are some of the issues associated with removing of dams?
Cost of removing a dam is 10 times more than creating it. Removal of dams fragment river ecosystems
by producing an upstream-of-dam environment and downstream environment.
35: What are the environmental issues associated with global water shortage and food supply?
Groundwater is being mined and is therefore being depleted, bodies of water are drying up and large
rivers do not deliver any water to the ocean in some seasons or years.
36: Water is one of our most abundant resources, why are we concerned about its availability in the
future?
Populations are growing, and with the more population, more water will be used and more water would
be polluted and cannot be used.
1: Which is more important from a national point of view, conservation of water use in agriculture or in
urban areas? Why?
In my opinion agriculture is more important because if we really think about it agriculture is the base for
any urban activities.