Chapter 15: Freshwater Resources: Natural Systems, Human Impacts, and Conservation

Freshwater Systems
97.5% of the water is in oceans and is too salty to drink or use for crops Only 2.5% is fresh water water that is relatively pure with few dissolved salts o Most are tied up in glaciers, icecaps, and underground aquifers Water is constantly moving through hydrologic cycle o Redistributes heat, erodes mountain ranges, builds river deltas, and maintains organisms and ecosystems. o the most important part to us is surface water bodies

Rivers and streams wind through landscapes

water from rain runs downhill and converges where the land dips lowest, forming streams merges into rivers, and reaches the ocean o smaller river flowing into a larger one is a tributary o the area of land drained by a river and all its tributaries is the rivers watershed shapes the landscape by eroding soil from the bank and depositing soil o can bend to become such an extreme bend in the river (oxbow) floodplain areas nearest a rivers course that are flooded periodically are said to be within the rivers floodplain o especially fertile due to deposition of silt o riparian (riverside) forests are productive and species-rich hosts many diverse ecological communities

Wetlands include marshes, swamps, and bogs

wetlands areas that combine elements of freshwater and dry land freshwater marshes shallow water allows plants to grow above the water surface o swamps consists of shallow water rich in vegetation, in forested areas o bogs ponds thoroughly covered with thick floating mats of vegetation valuable habitat for wildlife provide important ecosystem services have been drained and filled extensively, mainly for agriculture

Lakes and Ponds are ecologically diverse systems

lakes and ponds are open standing water littoral zone the region ringing the region of water body o water is shallow enough that aquatic plants grow from much and reach above the waters surface o rich in vertebrates benthic zone extends along the bottom of the entire water body o invertebrates live in the mud on the bottom limnetic zone open portion of a lake or pond away from the shore, sunlight penetrates shallow waters o enables photosynthesis and supports the planktons o sunlight & water temp changes with depth profundal zone under limnetic, volume of open water that sunlight doesnt reach o lacks plant life, lower in dissolved oxygen and supports fewer animals can change over time as steams and runoffs bring them sediment and nutrients o oligotrophic (low nutrients and high oxygen) can become eutrophic (high nutrient, low oxygen lots of algae, bacteria eats the algae and takes up oxygen meanwhile, but leaves a lot of nutrients) some lakes are so large that they different substantially from small lakes (sometimes called inland seas)

Groundwater plays key roles in the hydrologic cycle

precipitation that percolates downward through the soil becomes groundwater (1/5 of the earths freshwater supply)

Chapter 15: Freshwater resources: Natural systems, human impact, and conservation groundwater is contained within aquifers (porous, sponge like formations of rock, sand, or gravel that hold water) o zone of aeration pore spaces partly filled with water (upper layer) o zone of saturation spaces completely filled with water (lower) o boundary between the two space (water table)(the top of the place with lots of water) o aquifer recharge the area where water infiltrates Earths surface and reaches an aquifer below Confined aquifer (artesian) a water-bearing porous layer of rock, sand, or gravel is trapped between upper and lower layers of less permeable substrate (usually clay). water is under great pressure Unconfined aquifer no such upper layer to confine it, so its water is under less pressure and can be readily charged by surface water ground water becomes surface water through springs and human-drilled wells groundwater flows downhill from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, usually very slowly o water may remain in an aquifer for a long time the worlds largest known aquifer is the Ogallala Aquifer, under the Great Plains in US

Water is unequally distributed across Earths surface

different regions possess different amounts of ground water, surface water, and precipitation people are not distributed across the globe in accordance with water availability many areas with high population density are water-poor (inequalities in per capita water resources in nations) it is difficult to transport water from its source to where people need it also unevenly distributed in time o the monsoon bring concentrated rain o people erect dams to store water so it can be distributed when needed

Climate change will cause water shortages

climate change will alter precipitation patterns, melting glaciers, causing early season runoff, and intensifying droughts and flooding drought near the Colorado river and there may be even less water for people in the southwest

How we use water

our engineering achievements in order to harness freshwater sources have greatly altered many environmental systems we are also using water at a unsustainable rate

Water supplies our households, agriculture, and industry

There are 3 main usage of water residential/municipal, agricultural, and industrial. They vary with nations o nations with arid climates use freshwater for agriculture o industrialized nation uses it for industry o agriculture = 70%; industry = 20%; residential and municipal use = 10% o consumptive use removing water and then not returning it (i.e. most agricultural, industrial, and residential uses) o nonconsumptive use only temporarily removes water from an aquifer or surface water body (i.e. generating electricity with hydroelectric dams)

We have erected thousands of dams

dam any obstruction placed in a river or stream to block the flow of water so that water can be stored in a reservoir o prevents dams, provide drinking water, facilitate irrigating, generate electricity o the biggest in the US include the Hoover Dam and the Glen Canyon Dam 2

Chapter 15: Freshwater resources: Natural systems, human impact, and conservation

Chinas Three Gorges Dam is the Worlds biggest ()

The worlds largest dam on Yangtze River Enable boats and barges to travel upstream, provide flood control, and generate hydroelectric power Costs o Submerged archaeological sites and habitats o Slowed the rivers flow and made sediments settle behind the dam o Eroded away Shanghais coast o Higher levels of bacteria

Benefits of dams
Power generation Crop irrigation Flood control New rec. opportunities Drinking water

Costs of dams
Habitat alteration Fisheries declines Loss of recreational opportunities Populations displacement Sediment capture Disruption of flooding

Some dams are being removed

A lot of dams are being removed in the US, beginning in 1999 As soon as dams were removed there were signs of a healthier river

Dikes and levees are meant to control floods

Essentially long raised mounds of earth designed to prevent flooding, but sometimes worsen flooding because they force water to stay in channels and accumulate, thus building up enormous energy and leading to occasional catastrophic overflow events

We diver and deplete surface water to suit our needs

A lot of the water from rivers and lakes are being heavily diverted for our usage, to the point where by the time it reaches its delta its only a trickle. o Colorado river, Nile, rio grande o Aral sea lost 4/5 of volume in 45 years, mainly for cotton production

Inefficient irrigation wastes water

only 45% of the water used by irrigation is actually taken up by crops flood and furrow water is flooded with water = 90% of irrigation Over irrigation leads to waterlogging and salinization Many nations subsidize irrigation to promote agricultural self0sufficienty In areas where agriculture is demanding more freshwater than can be supplied, water mining (withdrawing water faster than it can be replenished) is occurring

We are depleting ground water

Groundwater is depleted faster than surface water because it recharges slower When aquifers are depleted, water tables drop When groundwater is overpumped, salt water can be intruded into aquifers When aquifers lose water, their substrate can weaken and become less capable of supporting overlying strata (AKA cities sinking) Suddenly it results in sinkholes areas where the ground gives way with little warning Wetlands can dry up with falling water tables 3

Chapter 15: Freshwater resources: Natural systems, human impact, and conservation

Will we see a future of water wars?

Many think waters role in regional conflicts will increase as human population continues to grow and climate change alters regional patterns of precipitation But nations have cooperated with neighbors to solve water issues

Solutions to depletion of fresh water

Hydrologic cycle makes fresh water a renewable resource. If our usage exceeds what a lake, river, or aquifer can provide, we need to reduce use and find another source

Solutions can address supply or demand

reduce demand o conservation and efficiency measures o offer better economic returns and less ecological and social damage increase supply o transport water from other areas where it is plentiful

Desalination makes more water

desalination the removal of salt from seawater or other water of marginal quality o hastens evaporation from allotments of ocean water with heat and then condensing the vapor (aka distillation) o force water through membranes to filter out salts (reverse osmosis) extremely expensive

Agricultural demand can be reduced

farmers can improve efficiency in terms of irrigation to reduce water lost to evaporation and surface runoff choose crops to match land and climate o stop planting crops that needs lots of water in arid areas Selective breeding can result in varieties that require less water

We can lessen residential and industrial water use in many ways

Use plants that are used to the conditions Replacing your appliances to more water-efficient ones Save water

Economic approaches to water conservation are being debated

It might increase the gap between the rich and the poor by making it a fully priced commodity The privatization of water supplies might cause overpricing and lack of access to the public Decentralized control over water could conserve water Should be shifting from supply-side to demand-side

Freshwater pollution and its control

About half the worlds major rivers and groundwater are seriously polluted

Water pollution takes many forms

Pollution the release of matter or energy into the environment that causes undesirable impacts on health and wellbeing of humans or other organisms (physical, chemical, or biological) 4

Chapter 15: Freshwater resources: Natural systems, human impact, and conservation Nutrient pollution Eutrophication o Phosphorus enters surface waters, boosts growth of algae and other plants. As they die off they provide for oxygen depleting bacteria o a natural process, but fertilizer runoff tends to increases the rate reduce by treating wastewater, reducing fertilizer application Pathogens and waterborne diseases disease causing organisms can enter drinking water through contamination by human waste or animal waste o when fecal coliform bacteria is detected, its probably an indication theres other stuff causes the most human health problems can be fixed by treating sewage, using chemicals to disinfect the water, encourage personal hygiene Toxic chemical a lot of synthetic and other harmful chemicals gets into our water and causes impacts to human health and poisons animals and alters aquatic ecosystems Legislating and enforcing more stringent regulations of industry can help reduce releases of these toxic chemicals. We can also modify our industrial processes and rely less on them Sediment Some sediment that river transport can impair ecosystems. They come from careless cultivation of farm fields Thermal pollution Water temperature rises, waters ability to hold dissolved oxygen decreases, and kills organisms Use the water for cooling and removing streamside vegetation raises the temp Too cold is an issue too (caused by dams)

Water pollution comes from point and non-point sources

Pint sources discreet locations (i.e. factory or sewer pipe) non-point sources arises from multiple cumulative inputs over larger areas (I.e. farms) Most of the pollution is non-point. Government limits development on watershed land surrounding reservoirs to minimize it.

Scientists use several indicators of water quality

biological properties o Presence of fecal coliform bacteria and other disease-causing organisms. o Algae and invertebrates work too Chemical properties o pH o taste and odor o hardness (concentration of calcium) o DOC (dissolved oxygen content) low in DOC are less capable of supporting life Physical characteristics o Turbidity (density of suspended particles) o Color o Temperature

Chapter 15: Freshwater resources: Natural systems, human impact, and conservation

Groundwater pollution is a serious problem

Hidden from the view and difficult to monitor Groundwater tends to retain contaminants because they dont move. They have to wait for it to decompose, but it contains less dissolved oxygen and microbes, so dissolves slower

There are many sources of groundwater pollution

Pollution from human activity seeps through the ground into the water Leakage from tanks also pollute groundwater Nitrate from agriculture lakes into groundwater and so are pesticides Manufacturing industries and military sites are heavy polluters

Legislative and regulatory efforts have helped reduce pollution

Many of them have brought a reduction in pollution in our freshwater supply Helped to improve the conditions of the Great Lakes through legislation

We treat our drinking water

Technological advances helped to improve our ability to clean drinking water. Water from a reservoir or aquifer is treated with chemicals to remove particulate matter; passed through filters of sand, gravel and charcoal, and/or disinfected with small amounts of an agent such as chlorine

It is better to prevent pollution than to mitigate it after it occurs

Preventing the pollution in the first place! Consumers can also exercise the power of consumer choice by purchasing environmentally friendly products Get involved in protecting local waterways

Wastewater and its treatment

Wastewater water that has been used by people in some way Natural processes can process some, but not the amount we use

Municipal wastewater treatment involves several steps

Septic systems wastewater runs from the house to an underground septic tank where solids and oil separate from water then proceeds downhill to a drain field of perforated pipes laid horizontally in gravel filled trenches underground. Microbes clean the wastewater. Sewer systems also carry the water to centralized treatment centers Primary treatment the removal of contaminants in settling tanks or clarifiers (60% gone) secondary treatment water is stirred and aerated so that aerobic bacteria degrade organic pollutants (90% of suspended solid removed) then the water is treated with chlorine or ultraviolet light effluent is piped back into the water or used again Sludge (removed solid material) is sent to digesting vats where microorganisms decompose them.

Artificial wetlands can aid treatment

wastewater that went through primary treatment is pumped into artificial wetlands and the microbes decompose the pollutants a lot of people are using this