water midterm 1

Why do we study water and why is water important

Essential for life/human survival

crucial for food production, domestic use, and industrial needs

plays key role in origin of life

Why do we need to study the envriomnent

Host of water, controls water quantity and quality

water quantity and quality essential to sustaining all life forms

What is a historic example of an environmental disaster

decline of mesopotamian and Indus Valley civilizations due to water availability and quality issues

What are some modern examples of environmental disasters 

Salinization in Australia’s Murray-Darling basin

Aral Sea disaster

US dust bowl 

Cuyahoga river pollution

Harmful algal blooms 

What are some causes of environmental disasters

Human influences, climate change, and population growth

What are harmful algal blooms

excessive growth of algae in water bodies

What are some causes of harmful algal blooms 

nutrient pollution, climate change, and human activities 

What is the distribution of freshwater

68.7% in glaciers/polar ice caps

29.9% in groundwater

1.4% in surface water

Which sector of our society uses the most freshwater

agriculture- 70%

What are some of the biggest challenges for our water and the environment 

population growth, climate change, uneven water distribution, drinking water access, and transboundary water resource sharing 

What roles does the population play in climate change

increased water demand, overdrafting water resources, pollution, and changes in precipitation patterns

What is the water cycle

the process by which water moves through the atmosphere, land, and ocean

Why is studying the water cycle important 

manages water resources

predicts droughts, floods, and climate change impacts

essential for understanding water quality and quantity

What are the different types of fluxes in the water cycle

evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, percolation, recharge, and discharge

What are the driving forces of the water cycle

solar energy, wind energy, gravity, potential energy gradients, and earths rotation/tilt

What fluxes can be measured to assist in the creation of management plans

precipitation, temperature, and runoff from river discharge data

What management plans can be created through the measurement of different fluxes

controlling factors for changes in measured fluxes

predicting changes in water resources and landscapes

evaluating management decisions at various time scales

what aspects of the atmosphere cause uneven water distribution

evaporation, condensation, and precipitation

what aspects of earths rotation/revolution cause uneven water distribution

seasonal changes and climate patterns

what aspects of the coriolis force cause uneven water distribution on earth

global circulation patterns and weather patterns

what aspects of ocean circulation cause uneven water distribution

thermohaline circulation and ocean currents

what aspects of land surface topography cause uneven water distribution

mountain ranges and watersheds

what aspects of changing climate patterns cause uneven water distribution

climate change

what characteristics of watersheds can be used to classify watersheds

drainage area, hydrologic divide, single outlet, stream order, slope or topography, land cover, sub-catchments, and river hydrographs 

what is the importance of river hydrographs

understand watershed functions, evaluate management decisions, and predict changes in water quantity and quality