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dissolved oxygen content
a measure of the amount of O2 in a medium
limnetic zone
sunlit part of a lake where tiny plants and animals live, but no rooted plants can grow.
oligotrophic
describes a body of water with low-nutrient and high-oxygen conditions
septic system
wastewater from the house runs to an underground tank
xeriscaping
landscaping that involves the use of only drought-tolerant plants
consumptive
when water is taken from a source and not returned
water table
the boundary between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation
watershed
land drained by a river and all its smaller streams.
desalinization
the removal of salt from water
floodplain
land near a river that floods often, leaving fertile soil.
swamp
wetlands with shallow water and lots of plants, found only in forests
aquifer recharge zone
any area where water infiltrates Earth's surface and reaches an aquifer below
littoral zone
The shallow area around a body of water is where plants grow above the surface.
Three Gorges
the world's largest dam
riparian
describes a forest found alongside a river.
zone of saturation
the lower layer of an aquifer where pore spaces are completely filled with water
sludge
the solid material that is separated out during the sewage treatment process
Ogallala
the world's largest known aquifer
reclaimed water
treated sewage water used for landscaping or industrial purposes to save water
secondary treatment
the step that removes organic matter and nutrients from sewage using bacteria
turbidity
measurement of suspended particles in a water sample
hard water
a chemical property of water that makes soap not lather and leaving a chalky residue when heated
point source
a single, identifiable localized source of pollution, such as a factory smokestack or a sewer pipe
dam
blocks the flow of water so that water can be stored in a reservoir
aquifer
sand or gravel that hold water
nonconsumptive
when water is used but isn't removed or is only temporarily removed.
water mining
withdrawing water faster than it can be replenished
non-point source
describes pollution that comes from multiple sources over large areas
benthic zone
the bottom layer of a lake or pond
freshwater
describes 2.5% of the water on Earth
Colorado River Compact
dictates how the seven states along the Colorado River apportion the water
marsh
wetland with shallow water where plants grow above the surface.
hydrologic cycle
the water cycle
primary treatment
removes contaminants and most solids from wastewater physically
zone of aeration
the upper layer of an aquifer where pore spaces are only partly filled with water
Aral
lost most of its water because Russia diverted rivers to grow cotton.
wastewater
water, such as that carrying sewage and the water from washing machines, that has been used by people
Clean Water Act
law that controls water pollution, sets rules for wastewater, and funds sewage treatment plants.
Hoover
this dam holds back four times more water than flows down the river in an entire year
eutrophic
describes a body of water with high-nutrient and low-oxygen conditions
bog
a pond covered with thick floating mats of vegetation
profundal zone
aquatic zone that lacks plant life and very low dissolved oxygen
tributary
a small river that flows into a larger one
