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FRESHWATER
SYSTEMS AND
RESOURCES
AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
REVIEW #13
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF ALL WATER
ON EARTH IS FRESHWATER?
• About 2.5%, most of which is found in
glaciers, ice caps, and aquifers
WHY IS FRESHWATER USUALLY
CONSIDERED A RENEWABLE RESOURCE?
• Water is naturally recycled by the
water cycle
WHY MIGHT FRESHWATER SOMETIMES BE
CONSIDERED A NONRENEWABLE
RESOURCE?
• If it is being used faster than it can be
recycled; if it becomes polluted and
unusable
NAME THE TERM
• Water located atop Earth’s crust (rivers, lakes,
ponds etc.)
Surface water
• Water located beneath the surface held
within pores of soil or rock
Groundwater (or ground water)
WHAT ARE AREAS BENEATH THE
GROUND THAT STORES WATER CALLED?
•Aquifers (porous formations of
rock, sand or gravel that hold
water)
DRAW A CROSS-SECTION OF AN AQUIFER,
AND LABEL THE WATER TABLE, ZONE OF
SATURATION, AND ZONE OF AERATION.
• Zone of aeration should be rocks on
top, water table should be in the
middle, and zone of saturation
should be saturated rocks at the
bottom
CONTRAST ARTESIAN AQUIFERS WITH
UNCONFINED AQUIFERS.
• In an artesian aquifer, water is under great
pressure because it is trapped between two
layers of less impermeable substance (like
clay). Water is under less pressure in an
unconfined aquifer, because it has no
impermeable upper layer. These aquifers
recharge faster than artesian aquifers.
WHAT IS RUNOFF, AND HOW DOES IT
RELATE TO POLLUTION?
• Runoff is water from precipitation or springs
that flows across the land. Runoff can pick up
pollutants, such as nutrients and chemicals
from artificial fertilizers or pesticides, and
transport these into waterways.
NAME THE TERM
• The area of land drained by a river system
Drainage basin (or watershed)
• Areas nearest to a river’s course that are
periodically flooded
Floodplains
NAME THE FRESHWATER
ECOSYSTEM ZONE
• The area ringing the edge of a body of
water
Littoral zone
• The bottom of a lake or pond
Benthic zone
NAME THE FRESHWATER
ECOSYSTEM ZONE
• Shallow waters away from the shore than
receive light
Limnetic zone
• Deeper water that sunlight does not reach
Profundal zone
DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF
EUTROPHICATION.
• Runoff carrying nutrients enters a lake or
pond. These nutrients allow algal blooms to
form, which blocks light from aquatic life. Over
time the algae decays, which requires oxygen.
This creates a hypoxic (oxygen-poor)
environment which most organisms cannot
survive in.
WHAT IS A WETLAND? HOW ARE HUMANS
NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THESE ECOSYSTEMS?
• Ecosystems where the soil is saturated
with shallow water and vegetation
(sometimes seasonal)
• Humans have drained them for agriculture
and development and they are also
impacted by water pollution.
TRUE/FALSE
• Freshwater and humans are unevenly
distributed across our planet.
True
• 70% of America’s annual freshwater use is for
industry.
False; 70% is for agriculture, 20% for
industry, and 10% for municipal use
CONTRAST CONSUMPTIVE AND
NONCONSUMPTIVE FRESHWATER USE.
• Consumptive use involves taking water out of
an aquifer and not returning it (Ex uses
include for industry, irrigation, household use)
• Nonconsumptive use involves only
temporarily removing water, or not removing
water at all (Example use includes water
recreation)
TRUE/FALSE
• Excessive aquifer withdrawals can drain
them, and the rivers and lakes they are
connected to.
True
• Surface water is more easily depleted than
groundwater.
False; surface water recharges faster
PROVIDE TWO OTHER CONSEQUENCES OF
OVER EXTRACTION FROM AQUIFERS OTHER
THAN A DEPLETED WATER SUPPLY.
• In coastal regions, over extraction from aquifers can
cause ocean water to enter aquifers, making the
water undrinkable
• Over extraction can lead to sinkholes (areas where
ground gives way and that can cause homes and
businesses to sink)
EXPLAIN WHY SINGLE USE PLASTIC WATER
BOTTLES NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE
ENVIRONMENT.
• It is heavily packaged, made of plastic
(which requires oil), transported long
distances (which requires fossil fuels),
most of these bottles are not recycled,
once in a landfill they can add toxins to
leachate
WHAT IS A DAM? PROVIDE PROS AND
CONS OF THESE STRUCTURES.
• A dam is an obstruction placed in a stream or river to
block its flow
• Pros: can create reservoirs for recreation, can be used
to generate hydroelectric power, provide artificial lakes
for irrigation
• Cons: can disrupt aquatic migration routes, disrupt
riparian habitats, fossil fuels required for construction
PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF ECOSYSTEMS
SERVICES WHICH WETLANDS PROVIDE.
• Filtration of pollutants, storm surge
barriers for coastal areas, provide habitat
for unique wildlife, maintain drinking
supplies, plants store carbon
NAME THE TERM
•Removing the salt from seawater
Desalinization (desalination)
DESCRIBE TWO METHODS OF
DESALINIZATION.
• Distillation-using heat to evaporate
seawater and condensing the water vapor
• Reverse osmosis-forcing seawater at high
pressure through membranes to filter out
the salts
PROVIDE SOME PROS AND CONS
RELATED TO DESALINIZATION.
• Pros: provides freshwater for irrigation
and drinking, reduces extraction from
aquifers and allows them time to recharge
• Cons: expensive, requires fossil fuel inputs,
kills aquatic life at water intake sites,
generates salty waste
PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF HOW
AGRICULTURAL FRESHWATER DEMAND
COULD BE DECREASED.
• Line irrigation canals to prevent leaks,
level fields to minimize runoff, use dripirrigation, plant crops that match the
climate, plant drought-resistant GMOs
CONTRAST POINT-SOURCE AND NONPOINT SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION.
• Point source pollution is originating
at one specific site, such as a sewage
pipe. Non-point source pollution
arises from multiple inputs, such as
large residential neighborhoods or
several farms.
PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF
SURFACE WATER POLLUTION.
• Oil spills, toxic chemicals, nutrient
pollution from artificial fertilizers,
pathogens, sediment, thermal pollution
from factories, biodegradable wastes
PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF
GROUNDWATER POLLUTION.
• Heavy metals, wastes from agriculture,
chemicals from herbicides, oil from tanker
leaks, pathogens from livestock
WHAT ARE SOME SOURCES OF
WASTEWATER?
• Showers, sinks, dishwashers, toilets, storm
runoff drains, manufacturing or industrial
cleaning processes requiring water
WHERE ARE SEPTIC SYSTEMS MOST
COMMONLY USED?
•In rural areas
DESCRIBE HOW SEPTIC SYSTEMS
WORK.
• Wastewater runs from the house or business
to an underground septic tank which
separates the contents of the water by
density. Solids accumulate at the bottom, and
water is on top. The water then moves
downhill to perforated pipes in gravel-filled
trenches for further filtration.
PRIMARY OR SECONDARY WATER TREATMENT?
• Settling tanks remove about 60% of dissolved
solids
Primary treatment
• Water is stirred and aerobic bacteria are added to
degrade solids
Secondary treatment
• Chlorine and ultraviolet light is added
Secondary treatment