Water Study Notes

Definitions Impermeable- Allowing no materials to pass through (e.g. plastic, metal, aluminum) Porous- having pores or tiny holes, allowing fluids to pass through (e.g. wood paper, sponge) Run-off- rain water that flows off a land surface Flood Plain- bordering a river or a stream, a generally flat area of land that is naturally subject to flooding, made largely of soil deposited by floods Levee- an elevated bank built along the side of a river valet to keep the river from overflowing Meltwater- the run-off from melting snow Ground-water- the water has seeped down under Earths surface to a depth of about 100m Aquifer- an area of porous rock with a water system flowing through it Zone of saturation- a layer of porous rock in which all pores are full of water Water table- in the ground, the level beneath which porous rocks are saturated with water Heat capacity- refers to the ability of a material to absorb heat. Microclimate- an area with a small localized climate variation that differs from the larger climate area around it Drainage basins- the total area from which precipitation drains into a single river or system of rivers Drainage divide- the boundary between 2 drainage basins, usually the crest of a hill or mountain 4 Factors that affect runoff: Type of surface (porous impermeable) Steepness of slope Amount of precipitation Time span at which it falls Up-stream vs. Down-stream Upstream is from which the water is coming, downstream is the direction which the water is going. Young river vs. Old River Young rivers are narrow river systems with rapid streams that are not as deep. Old rivers are a broad river system, which flows slowly and enters a body of water
Joins river or stream Gravity

Valleys vs. Plains Plains are wide, gently sloping areas of land near the coast, usually have old rivers Valleys are a low stretch of land between higher lands, carved by rivers usually containing young rivers

Highway vs. Rivers Highway flows in both directions, rivers in one Highways are usually flat, rivers go downhill

Factors that affect river flow direction: Slope direction/steepness Wind, gravity, degree/angle, depth, shape The flow of water and the deposits of sediments and rock that it leaves behind are useful for scientists because it helps them know where the river is coming from, the path that it takes and how much erosion there is based on the amount of rock. Advantages vs. Disadvantages of River Overflowing Advantages: It spreads sediments in a thick layer over the valley floor which makes land more fertile to grow crops. It attracts people to live there because the fine particles of sediments and soil nutrients make flood plains the most fertile farming areas in the world. Disadvantages: It can cause floods that can wash away houses, damage wildlife, cause billion dollars of damage, and can kill people and livestock. Increase vs. Decrease Risk of Floods Cutting down natural vegetation (e.g. trees, shrubs) can increase run-off, especially on steep slopes, because plants wont be there to absorb the water. Replanting trees and shrubs in river valleys can help reduce the risk. On larger river systems, building dams and levees, and digging drainage channels can help reduce the risk of floods. All precip. must go some/w, if it cant soak into the ground, it will flow in a river system, raising the water level. Levees are a temporary solution because water can rise over/erode it. Forceful floods can also wash them away. Shared water resources The amount of fresh water is small; it is less than 1% of the total

amount of water in the world. The frozen water will be available to us because the frozen glaciers will soon melt due to global warming It is very important to reuse our water because our supply is so limited. As the population increase, water supply demands are high. We cant wait for frozen glaciers to melt, without water; all organisms including ,us will die. Surface Water vs. Ground Water Ground water is safer because it carries more advantages than surface water. It is free of disease causing microorganisms, it does not carry sediments, its not affected by short droughts, its less easily polluted, and its available over many areas, than surface water. Water in a well comes from runoff that has sunk into the ground. It makes its way through the porous permeable membrane until hits impermeable membrane; the ground water fills the pores above forming an aquifer. The ground water can then be extracted from the reservoir. Hot springs occur where ground water is heated by rocks that come in contact with molten material under earths surface. During the Day/Summer The land absorbs heat more quickly than water does. The air over the land become warmer as some of this absorbed heat is radiated back into the air. As the warmer air begins to rise, the cooler air over the water moves in to take its place. During the Night/Winter As the sun goes down, the land cools off quickly, but the water doesnt. The water radiates some of its stored hear into the air, and this warm air rises. The cooled air over the land moves into takes the place of the rising warm air over the water. Large water bodies are a major contributor to climate differences. The Great Lakes keep summer and winter temperatures moderate. They are also responsible for contributing to small pockets of microclimates.