WATER RESOURCES (CH.

15)

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Forms of Water:

Freshwater: must have salt content <0.5% Salt water: salt content >0.5% (ocean water is, on average, 3.5%)

Surface water: water found on surface lakes, rivers, streams

Groundwater: water found stored underground aquifers

Atmospheric water: typically in vapor form

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Earths Water:
97.4% - Salt water
2.6% - Fresh water: ~2% stored in ice caps and glaciers ~0.59% is ground water ~0.01% is accessible groundwater/surface water The .01% accessible water is recycled through the water cycle (hydrologic cycle)
Recycling & purification only works as long as we dont overload water with waste and withdraw water from underground supplies faster than it is replenished

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Surface Water

Surface Runoff: precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground or return to the atmosphere

Watershed/ Drainage basin: region from which surface water drains into a river, lake, wetland

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Groundwater
Infiltration of precipitation into the ground or percolation into spaces (pores, crevices, etc.) Two Zones: 1. Zone of Aeration: area close to surface where pores of soil & rock contain both air and water. 2. Zone of Saturation: lower levels of soil and rock where spaces are completely filled with water.
Where shallow wells are drilled Water Table: located at top of the zone of saturation Rises and fall over time because of usage, droughts, and heavy rains

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Groundwater
Aquifers: deep layers of sand, gravel, or bedrock that act like sponges to absorb groundwater
Most aquifers replenish through infiltration of precipitation down through the soil and rock layers.
Known as natural recharge of aquifer

Recharge is a slow process

Groundwater moves 1 meter per year

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Freshwater Usage
We use roughly 54% of runoff and surface water world wide
Worldwide average: use 70% of water to irrigate crops & raise livestock; 20% for industry; 10% for public used

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Amount of Water Needed To Make Stuff

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Freshwater in the U.S.:
Unevenly distributed (acute shortages in west)
Uses:
41% - removing heat from electric power plants 37% - irrigation 13% - public water 9% - other industry & livestock

Problem out west: shortage of runoff caused by low precipitation, high evaporation, & recurring drought

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Too Little Water in Western U.S.: 17 water hotspots Competition for water to support growing urban areas, irrigation, recreation & wildlife Could create conflicts over water which would be a start of the Water Wars here in the U.S. **Colorado River

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Causes of water scarcity:
1. Dry climate 2. Drought 3. Water stress (too many people using a water supply too quickly) 4. Wasteful use of water

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APES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2014

Reminders: Groundwater Pollution Lab due by TOMORROW! Unit 8: Water Test Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28th. Todays Schedule: Cont. Unit 8: Water Resources & Pollution Notes

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Water Scarcity: In 2009, the UN reported that 1.2 billion people (1 in every 6) lacked regular access to clean water for daily life Water stressed = have 1,000-2,000 m3 per person Water scarce = have < 1,000 m3 per person Examples of water scarce countries: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Kenya, Rwanda, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, etc. The Future: More disease & death due to contaminated water Political conflicts over water resources Conflict over whether water should be owned & managed by government or private companies

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Water Scarcity Whats the Solution? Using dams & reservoirs Transporting surface water Extracting groundwater Converting salt water to freshwater

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The Solution - Using dams & reservoirs? Dam: structure built across a river to control the rivers flow Creates reservoir

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Dams: Advantages & Disadvantages

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Three Gorges Dam

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The Solution - Transferring Water? AKA Interbasin transfer Tunnels, aqueducts & underground pipes can be used to transfer water Example: Big Thompson Project Transfers water in 13 mile to eastern slope of Colorado

pipeline under Rocky Mountains

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When Transferring Water Goes Wrong:
Aral sea (Siberia)
Large inland body of saline water 1960s: large scale water diversion for irrigation of crops Irrigation + drought + high evaporation Salinity increase x7 Lost 90% of water volume

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Irrigation of Aral sea: more consequences

Lost of 85% of wetlands, local extinction Lost fishing industry Sand & salt picked up by wind & blow to local farms
Dust settling on Himalaya glaciers melting

Hotter climate b/c no buffer

Loss of crops more fertilizer & pesticide use more water pollution more health problems

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The Solution - Groundwater Depletion?

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Groundwater Depletion
In the U.S., groundwater is being withdrawn at 4X the natural recharge rate

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Ogallala Aquifer in Central U.S. worlds largest
Supplies about 1/3 of all groundwater used in U.S. In Southern half, water is being pumped out 10-40x faster than natural recharge

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Problems with Over-pumping Aquifers: Limits future water availability & food production Aquifer collapse causing land subsidence (sinking) Groundwater overdrafts near coastal regions Contamination with saltwater

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The Solution Desalinization?
=desalting water either through:
Distillation: heating saltwater until it evaporates & condensing freshwater Reverse osmosis: using high pressure to force saltwater through a membrane filter with pores small enough to remove salts

14,450 desalination plants in 125 countries

Saudi Arabia: highest number In the U.S., is being used in Tampa Bay, FL

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Desalinization: Disadvantages:

Takes 3 to 4 times more energy to desalinate water than to purify water Pumping seawater through pipes & using chemicals to clean it kills marine organisms Produces huge amount of salty wastewater
Only currently practical for water-short, wealthy countries

APES THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014

Reminders: Unit 8: Water Test Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28th. Spring Project due Wednesday, April 16th TURN IN Groundwater Pollution Lab if havent yet! Todays Schedule: Cont. Unit 8: Water Resources & Pollution Notes Colorado Reading Homework

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Water Sustainability Ideas:
Reduce irrigation waste Recycle industry water Lessen dependence on coal b/c power plants waste water Slow population growth Cut home water waste: Landscape yards appropriately Use gray water (from homes) to irrigate lawns & non-food crops Waterless, composting toilets

IMPROVE IRRIGATION: DRIP & CENTER PIVOT

XERISCAPING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: USE NATIVE PLANTS FOR LAWN

Fig. 13-22, p. 338

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When Theres Too Much Water
Floodplain: areas where streams overflow Have fertile soil, available water supply for irrigation, nearby rivers for transportation, and the land is typically flat which is good for building railroads, roads, etc.

Channelization, dams, levees, make the floodplains a livable area

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Human activities make floods worse: Levees can break or be overtopped Paving and development increase runoff Draining wetlands and building on them Removal of water-absorbing vegetation, esp. on hill sides

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SOLUTIONS: REDUCING FLOOD DAMAGE