Name: __________________________________________ Date __________ Per _____ Doc _____
Groundwater Resources
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/tx-drought.html#.V5DlAtUrLnA
1. In 2011 there was a severe drought in Texas, as shown in the groundwater storage map. By comparison, how would
you describe New Jersey’s groundwater situation?
2. Will a major rainstorm end the drought in Texas?
Why or why not?
3. Groundwater resources are usually analyzed through monitoring well measurements. However, a unique method for
this purpose is GRACE. What does GRACE stand for?
4. a. What does GRACE detect?
b. What is this caused by?
5. Scroll Down to the 3rd to the last paragraph. “These maps would be impossible to generate using only ground-based
observations.” Why is this the case?
http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/pubs/fs00165/
6. Why is a long-term perspective needed to manage this valuable resource?
7. What is land subsidence?
8. What causes land subsidence?
9. What are the main processes that account for most water-related subsidence?
10. Look at figure 2. What caused the land to subside during the last century?
11. According to Figure 3, New Jersey is an area where subsidence is an issue. What industry in NJ could be contributing
to the problem?
Directions: View the graphs, photographs, and maps provided to answer the questions that follow.
12. What is the diagram about subsidence showing?
13. a. What is shown along the Y axis on the left?
b. How many years are shown in the graph? _________________
c. What pattern do you notice during this time period?
d. During what month was the water table the lowest?
Explain what caused this.
e. During what season was the water table the highest?
Explain what caused this.
f. If a homeowner installs a well in March, can the well be dug to 5 feet only? Explain your answer.
14. Look at the next graph provided. How does it compare to the first graph?
15. Look at the map of the well’s location and the surrounding area. The well is located on a main road at the boundary
between what two types of land use?
16. Look at the map of the NJ Pinelands. The Preservation Area must remain natural. Some development is permitted in
the Pinelands Protection Area. Where is the developed land compared to the protected area?
17. Compare the Pinelands Protected and Pinelands Preservation water usage graphs. In general, the depth to the
water table is
in the Preservation area than in the Protected area. Look at the
accompanying maps. What causes this difference?
http://drought.unl.edu/MonitoringTools/USDroughtMonitor.aspx
18. Look through the website; would you consider this a valid source for collecting evidence?
Why?
19. Look at the picture at the top of the page. Why do you think the area of rock is discolored?
20. Click on the link in the first paragraph (U.S. Drought Monitor map). Where do you notice the largest areas of
drought?
21. In 2011, Texas was in a severe drought. What is the drought condition in TX currently?
22. Click on the northeast, then click on NJ. Change the “Statistics Type” to “Categorical”. Are we experiencing a drought
currently?
Describe the drought conditions over the last year.
23. How many people are currently affected by the drought?
24. Monitoring is important to understand the impact of groundwater usage and droughts, however, it does not solve
the problem. Click on view drought planning resources at the bottom. Then click NJDEP drought information. Find
Middlesex County. What is our drought status?
25. Under resources, click on “you can make a difference: ideas for saving water”.
a. Why is NJ considered “water rich”?
b. During what time of year should we be most careful to conserve water?
c. How can we reduce their impact on our fresh water resources?