Unit 2- Study Guide

Watersheds 6.5 and 6.7

1. Characteristics of water:
only comound that can !e found as a solid" li#uid" or $as
called the uni%ersal sol%ent !ecause o%er time it can dissol%e almost
anythin$
has a hi$h surface tension- co-adhesive- water stic&s to water
also adhesive- water stic&s to other o!'ects li&e a leaf" a car window"
strin$
ta&es lon$er to heat u !ut can hold heat lon$er then air
comrised of two hydro$en atoms and one o(y$en atom )*2+,
2. Watershed-
-n area in which all sources of water drain to a common surface water li&e a ri%er
or ocean. - Divide )mountain ran$e, searates watersheds.
.here are 5 main watersheds in /ir$inia
- Chesaea&e 0ay
- 1orth Carolina Sounds
- Gulf of 2e(ico
- 2ississii 3i%er
- -tlantic +cean
We li%e in the Chesaea&e 0ay Watershed. 4t is the lar$est estuary in the
United States )where fresh water meets salt water,
+ur actions on the land affect the water.
5cosystem- the li%in$ community and the nonli%in$ factors that affect it.
- Biotic- li%in$
- Abiotic- nonli%in$ )water" chemicals" roc&s,
6. Wetland- transition 7one !etween dry land and a !ody of water. 5(amles are
swams" !o$s" and marshes. 8erforms imortant water #uality functions:
- re$ulates run off- which slows down erosion
- filters sediment
- rechar$es $roundwater
- ro%ides food and water )ha!itat,
9. Tributary- small streams that !ranch into the main stream- li&e the South :or&
flows into the Shenandoah 3i%er.
5. Sediment- created !y erosion- it is !ro&en down roc&s and carried in runoff to our
waterways
6. Flood Plain- a normally dry land that is susceti!le to floodin$
7. ;and formations created !y water
-delta, alluvial fan, gully, caves, oxbo la!e, meandering
river
<. Water 8ollution- anythin$ that has a ne$ati%e effect on water
-Point Source Pollution- you &now where it came from
-"on-Point Source Pollution- you don=t &now where it came from )this
is !ad,
>. Water #uality $onitoring- testin$ the water )a!iotic factors, for dissol%ed
o(y$en" *" nitro$en" and hoshate le%els.
1?. %round ater- Water that is under $round
11. A&uifer- under$round !ody of water
12. 'onservation- sa%in$ natural resources li&e water and not wastin$ it.
16. Best $anagement Practices (B$Ps)- thin$s you can do to conser%e and
rotect our natural resources li&e water
- turn off li$hts" ./" and water when not in use.