Water
Resources
and Pollution
Importance of Water
➝ Found in every living organism.
➝ Dissolves and transports many molecules
(nitrates, phosphates, minerals).
➝ Quickly moves between three phases,
transferring it (and heat) between the surface,
atmosphere, and around the planet.
2
Ocean
97% Distribution of
Water
Ice Caps and Glaciers
Freshwater 70%
Groundwater
(Aquifers) 29%
Soil and
Surface Freshwater Wetlands 38%
Lakes
52%
Water Vapor 8%
Rivers Living Organisms
1% 1% 3
Hydrologic Cycle
Movement processes of water.
4
Precipitation
Water droplets
combine and fall Condensation
from clouds. Water vapor
cools and
liquifies.
Runoff
Transpiration
Flows downhill to
Evaporation
a stream, then a
from leaves.
lake or ocean.
Evaporation
Liquid water
is heated and
converted to
Infiltration water vapor.
Seeps through
spaces in soil. 5
What
water cycle
6
process is
What
water cycle
7
process is
What
water cycle
8
process is
What
water cycle
9
process is
➝ Aquifers are
underground
Importance of Water formations of
rock and sand
that hold
water.
➝ The
uppermost
boundary of
aquifers is
called the
water table.
10
➝ An unconfined
aquifer is
recharged from
the ground
surface directly
above it.
➝ A confined
aquifer has an
impermeable
layer of clay or
rock that limits
11 recharging to a
12
A
watershed
is the entire
area of land
where water
runoff or
infiltration 13
Water Use
Withdrawal and consumption of water for agriculture,
drinking, etc.
14
Using Water
Withdrawal Consumption
Amount of water Water withdrawn
diverted or removed AND permanently
from its source. A removed from a
portion may be source.
returned afterwards.
Example: Power Example: Irrigation
plant coolant water
15
➝ The three largest
demands for water
withdrawal include:
⇾ Power generation:
Coolant water and
for generating
steam.
⇾ Irrigation: Watering
crops.
⇾ Domestic:
Household water
uses. 16
➝ Irrigation is the
largest consumer
of water
worldwide, as
most of it is either
taken in by plants
or evaporated
into the
atmosphere.
17
➝ Water
stress
occurs when
the demand
for water is
greater than
the supply.
⇾ Leads to
depletion of
freshwater
resources.
18
➝ Regions with
water stress
tend to be:
⇾ Naturally
arid
⇾ Heavily
populated
⇾ Growing
water-
intensive
crops and
animals. 19
➝ Environmental
impacts of
overconsumptio
n of freshwater
supplies:
⇾ Decrease in river
flow.
⇾ Lowering of lake
and reservoir
levels.
⇾ Subsidence, or
the gradual
sinking of land. 20
Well
Well Contaminated with saltwater.
Water T
able
Cone of
Cone of Depression Salt
Depression water
Lowering of water
table around a well.
Saltwater Intrusion
Freshwater depletion causes the movement of saltwater into freshwater aquifers.
Water
Conservation
Alternative water sources and reducing water
consumption.
22
➝ Desalination is the removal of salt from ocean water,
through two possible methods:
⇾ Distillation boils the water and collects the steam.
⇾ Reverse osmosis passes pressurized water 23 through a filter.
Desalination
produces a lot of
salt waste called
brine.
The energy costs
for desalination
24 are very high.
➝ Water conservation
efforts focus on
agriculture, as it is the
biggest source of water
consumption.
⇾ Installing drip irrigation
systems for tree crops
with high water
demands.
⇾ Contour plowing and
terracing to slow runoff
and increase infiltration.
⇾ Lining irrigation canals
25
to prevent leaks and
Home water
conservation
centers Low-flow
around high- showerheads and
faucets use aerators
efficiency
to reduce water
devices. consumption.
Dual-flush toilets use
less water for urine
and more for solid
waste. 26
Efficient dishwashers and
washing machines run
longer, but use much less 27
Xeriscaping
uses drought-
tolerant plants
in the homes
and yards in
arid climates. 28
➝ Graywater systems recirculate used water from the
sink or shower into the toilet or for yard irrigation.
29
Water Pollution
Alternative water sources and reducing water
consumption.
30
From the
industrial
revolution until
the passage of
the Clean Water
Act in 1970,
surface waters
were used as
industrial dump
sites.
31
The Clean The EPA lists
Water Act all impaired
established waters that
rules and do not meet
regulations for one or more
what can be of the
discharged into 32 standards.
Causes of impaired
waters
Coliform Heavy
Bacteria Metals Persistent
Disease-causing Neurotoxins. Organic
bacteria from Found in mine Pollutants
untreated tailings, coal (POPs)
human sewage ash, and
and manure. electronic waste. Synthetic
chemicals that
Oxygen- Nutrient do not degrade
Depleting Pollution and are prone to
Pollution Nitrogen and biomagnification
Biodegradable phosphorous- and
matter rich compounds bioaccumulation
consumed by that promote .
decomposers, algae “Forever
who deplete overgrowth. chemicals.” 33
Point source water
pollution comes from
single, identifiable
source.
➝ Factories
➝ Water treatment
Factory
plants
Water
Treatment
34
Nonpoint source
water pollution comes
runoff or infiltration
from a wide area.
➝ Agricultural fields
➝ City stormwater
drains
➝ Home septic
systems
City stormwater runoff Agricultural
- Manure
Septic
- Fertilizer
Systems
- Pesticides
35
➝ Cultural
eutrophication is an
increase in algae
growth as fertilizer
enters surface waters.
⇾ Elevated nitrates and
phosphates promote algae
overgrowth.
⇾ Algae block sunlight,
killing submerged plants.
⇾ As the algae die,
decomposers use up the
dissolved
36 oxygen in the
Oligotrophic Mesotrophic Eutrophic Hypereutrop
hic
Zooplankton
No fish, only plankton.
More fish and zooplankton
Submerged Anoxia
Fish Hypoxia
Plants
Benthos Death of submerged plants and benthos
• low nutrients • Increasing nutrients, • High nutrients • High nutrients
• low turbidity turbidity, and algae • High turbidity • High turbidity
• high sunlight • Hypoxia, reduced • Anoxia, absence of
• Decreasing sunlight dissolved oxygen dissolved oxygen.
➝ Dead zones are any areas of water where the
dissolved oxygen is too low for fish and other large
animals to survive. Causes:
Cultural
eutrophicati
on
Sudden
increase in
water
temperatures
Disruption in
normal oxygen
mixing
➝ Explain why the 3
C’s rule exists for
Lake Michigan
Fish:
⇾ Choose fish that
are primary
consumers and
not bottom
feeders.
⇾ Clean fish for
eating by
removing as
much fat as
39
Drinking Water Regulations
Safe Drinking Food, Drug, and
Water Act (EPA) Cosmetic Act (FDA)
Sets limits and testing Generally fewer testing
requirements for and contaminant
contaminants in requirements than tap
municipal tap water. water.
Does not apply to non- Water must be classified
municipal well water or --
bottled water. Artesian: Confined
aquifer
Mineral/Spring:
Unconfined aquifer 40
Ocean Pollution
Oil and plastics.
41
➝ In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in
Alaska, causing the greatest oil spill up to that point.
➝ The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 required tankers to
have a double-hull design by 2015 and increased the
legal liability of oil companies for spills. 42
➝ In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig experienced a
blowout and explosion, then leaked oil for about 3
months.
➝ No laws passed in response; a new executive branch
agency was created to oversee offshore drilling.
43
Impacts of oil spills
Mammals Birds Fish and
Penetrates their Penetrates Plankton
fur, causing feathers, Oil is directly
hypothermia in preventing flight toxic to them.
cold waters. and causing
hypothermia.
Benthos
Coastal
If dispersants Ecosystems
are used, oil
sinks to the Oil washes up on
bottom of the shore, polluting
sea and beaches and
suffocates wetlands.
benthic 44
➝ The ocean is also
heavily polluted with
plastics released from
ships and rivers that
flow into the ocean.
⇾ Dead beached whales are
commonly found with
stomachs full of plastic
bags.
45
➝ Plastics are not biodegradable but will break down
into smaller pieces as they are exposed to
sunlight, forming tiny microplastics.
46
➝ Microplastics bioaccumulate
in fish and shellfish, then
biomagnify through the food 47
➝ There are five major circular currents called gyres that
plastic pollution accumulates in.
48
Watch the first 4 minutes of
this clip about the Great Pacific
Trash Vortex.
What gyre is it in?
Why is the plastic not visible
from the surface?
How much 49 is there?
The Ocean Cleanup has developed a trawl net to skim plastic
from the gyre.
A test run captured about 10 tons out of 50an estimated 79,000
