Hydrosphere 2: Freshwater systems with focus on NC watersheds

Hydrosphere 2:Freshwater

ppt. by Robin D. Seamon1

E A R T H ’ SF R E S H W A T E R

S Y S T E M S

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Humans need freshwater sources

• Rivers and coastlines influence human settlement

• We learned to control water for our benefit:• Dams• Irrigation systems• Water treatment facilities

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D I S T R I B U T I O N

http://www.sswm.info/category/concept/water-cycle

VIDEO: Where We Get Our Water (3:46)

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Availability Scale

1. vulnerable2. stressed3. scarce

VIDEO1: Struggle for Water (3min)

VIDEO2: Freshwater Scarcity

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http://latestnewslink.com/2014/12/lack-of-access-to-clean-water-hampers-fight-against-aids-in-africa-trfn/

VIDEO: UN Water Video (10 min)

7http://d11parents.com/2013/09/the-big-day-ios-7-roll-out-day/

http://www.waterprojectsinternational.org/whywater.html

http://biologyandbiologics.blogspot.com/

8http://www.globaled.uconn.edu/student_water/simulation/issues_areas.html

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SystemSystem

Environment

Closed system

Open system

10http://www.munciesanitary.org/pollutionprevention/?print=y

Water Cycle-1. Water evaporates into the atmosphere2. Condenses as it rises and cools3. Falls back to Earth as precipitation4. Traverses the landscape, picking up minerals,

becoming stored in ground water, frozen in ice, or distributed into water reservoirs

5. Streams and rivers carry water back to ocean

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Weathering: taking away of pieces of the crust in the flow of water, wind, or ice

Deposition: dropping off of the sediments

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Water drops streams rivers

Oceans

http://waterstories.nestle-waters.com/environment/collecting-dew-during-water-shortages/

Tributary- stream that flows into a lake or larger stream/riverWatershed- river systems are divided into watersheds; areas where water runs from higher elevations into lower basins according to the landscape

• LARGEST in US: Mississippi watershed• OTHERS: Rio Grande watershed, Colorado

watershedDivide- higher ground that separates watersheds

13ADVANCEVIDEO: What’s a Watershed (1min)

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Advance

Yadkin-PeeDeeRiver

BACK

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https://thewatershed.org/about-us/what-is-a-watershed/

BACK

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River basin- portion of land drained into a river; river is the lowest elevation point of the basin

Run-off: flow of water when an excess of rainwater, storm water, or snowmelt flows across the surface of the land

ADVANCE

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Advance

Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin

BACK

STREAM EROSIONChannel- path a stream follows1. narrow/steep2. Rock sent downstream3. Channel gets wider/deeper4. Gets longer & wider= RIVER

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Channel erosion

http://www.montcalm.org/planningeduc0042.asp

1. Gradient- measure of change in elevation over a certain distance• Gradient erosive Energy

19http://surfacewater.wikispaces.com/River+Gradient

2. Discharge- amount of water a river carries; storms, snowmelt

• Discharge erosive Energy

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http://www.bigelow.org/virtual/water_sub2.html

3. Load- materials carried by stream• Fast moving water carries larger particles

• Bed load- bounces larger pebbles or boulders

• Suspended load- small rocks & soil in suspension (muddy)

• Dissolved load- minerals (Na, Cl…)

21http://www.indiana.edu/~g103/G103lectures/rivers/wk6.html*VIDEO: Stream Flow (7min)

F O R M A T I O N SDeposition- dropping of sediments (eroded rock/soil particles)

Placer deposit- heavy minerals deposited where current slows (gold)

Delta- mouth/end of a river, current slows, sediments drop (mud)

- form new land, coast grows

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Alluvial fan- stream over flat land, slows down, drops sedimentsFlood plains- high rain or snow melt overflows rivers;

- sediment is deposited- rich farm land

24http://www.thisoldearth.net/Geology_Online-1_Subchapters.cfm?Chapter=5&Row=4VIDEO: Bill Nye: Rivers & Streams (23min)

G R O U N D W A T E R• Zone of aeration- upper layer of soil & rock;

water passes through

• Zone of saturation- water collects- spaces between rock particles are filled with water

• Water table- where those two zones meet; rises & lowers with rainfall & drought from above

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26http://www.ustudy.in/node/2927

Aquifer- sandstone, limestone, sand/gravelRock layer that stores groundwater

Percolation- how water filters through the ground

Porosity- more open spaces/pores can hold water• Depends on the size of rock particles1. Same sized particles= high porosity2. Different sized particles= low porosity

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28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer

Permeability- rock’s ability to let water pass• Larger particles increase permeability• Friction

Recharge zone- ground surface where water enters an aquifer (how permeable?)

29http://rmccs.org/sitecharacterization/experimental3.html

Spring- water table reaches surface; can make a lakeArtesian spring- spring whose water flows from crack in cap rock of aquifer• Sloping layer of permeable rock (aquifer)

sandwiched between two layers of impermeable rock (cap rock)

30http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/waterquality/springs.html

Well- human-made hole, deeper than water table• Must be drilled deep enough so that when

water table drops, well still has water

31VIDEO: What is groundwater? (5min)

Potable Water LAB

CLASS DEMONSTRATION & LESSON:Saltwater/freshwater demonstrationBook: If the World Were a Village- by, Shelagh Armstrong; 2002Belize, El Salvador, & Mexico stories/pictures

HOMEWORKWRITING & ILLUSTRATION:Write a response to the book and demonstration from class about the world's water supply. Illustrate.CONSIDER-What percentage of the world’s water is potable?How does your water supply differ from people in other countries?Who’s responsibility is it to protect those drops of water?What can you do each day to protect the world’s water supply?

BOOK- page 18- (as of 2002)

~ 75 % world's population has access to clean drinking water in home or within a short distance~ 25% do not; must spend most of the day finding water; mostly girls and women

~ 60% world's population has to sanitation/sewage disposal-public or household~ 40% do not

~ 68% world's population can breathe clean air~ 32% breathe unhealthy, polluted air

CLASS DEMONSTRATION SUMMARY- (numbers are approximated)

~ 2 L water on Planet Earth - salt and freshwater

~ 70 mL freshwater - about 3% of total water on Earth~ 50 mL frozen - about 80% of freshwater frozen in icecaps & glaciers~ 9 mL trapped underground - not all groundwater is reachable~ 6 mL in atmosphere- part of the water cycle~ 5 mL in plants & animals? pollution... 2 DROPS CLEAN, POTABLE DRINKING WATER FOR THE PLANET

WIKI LINK

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W A T E R Q U A L I T Y

W A T E R Q U A L I T Y

• 3 % of Earth’s water is freshwater (drinkable)• 75% of that is frozen

• Pollution- introduction of harmful substances into the environment

• Point-source pollution: pollution from one specific site (wastewater from a factory)

• Nonpoint-source pollution: pollution comes from many sources (runoff from agriculture, urban areas, land clearing, construction, logging)

34VIDEO: Nonpoint Source Pollution (5min)

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H E A L T H Y R I V E R S

Water quality depends upon:• Habitat structure

(riparian vegetation, width/depth, bank stability, channel morphology, gradient, instream cover, canopy, substrate, current)

• Flow regime (ground water, land use, velocity, high/low extremes, precipitation, runoff)

• Chemical variables (nutrients, pH, DO, temperature, organics, solubles, hardness, absorption, turbidity)

• Biotic factors (disease, parasitism, feeding, predation, competition, reproduction)

• Energy source (sunlight, nutrients, seasonal cycles, organic matter inputs)

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HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE WATER?Instream conditions:• Litter/garbage-• Algae- floating, attached, color• Water color- clear, muddy, milky, tea-colored,

red, gray, green black• Water appearance- oily sheen, foam/bubbles,

scum• Water odor- sewage, gas, rotten eggs, fishy,

chlorine, soapy• Discharge pipes- storm drain, industry,

municipal wastewater, sewer,

M O N I T O R I N G W A T E R Q U A L I T Y

PHYSICALturbidity

CHEMICALmeasure pH, nitrates, DO, metals

BIOLOGICALcount species

37VIDEO: Ecosystems on the Edge (8min)

Turbidity-• Measure of the concentration of particles

suspended in water• High turbidity = cloudy/ low light penetration• Suspended sediments of silt, clay, wastewater,

high phytoplankton

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*VIDEO: Turbidity (5min)

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Habitat structure

Natural river flow is more productive a habitat than man-made channels.

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Embeddedness: How much of the streambed that is under sediment

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Riparian Habitat: land/bank between the water & upland hills

Vegetation on the bank

decreases embededness

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Sediment impacts streams:

• Heat is absorbed by particles• Clarity is lower• Organic material can change the chemistry• Extra fertilizer (phosphorus, nitrogen) causes

HABs (harmful algal blooms)• Heavy metals leach into water

ppm- parts per million*one inch in 16 miles *one ounce in 32 tons*one cent in $10,000 *one minute in two years

THAT’s LIKE:

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DO- Dissolved Oxygen

Temperature • Affects DO levels:• Cold water holds more O• Thermal pollution: Factories increase lake

temperatures• Loss of shade trees on riparian bank

REMEMBER: Colder water absorbs more gas

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• Fish- respond to chemical, physical, biological change

• Aquatic plants• Insects• Mussels• Leeches• worms

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BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS

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46*VIDEO: Biotic Index (11min)

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PathogensBacteria: e coli• Enter water systems when septic systems leak

or municipal sewage systems fail & through factory farm waste

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/20-sickened-by-e-coli-in-nc-toddler-dies/VIDEO: Ganges Pollution (1:30)

Dissolved oxygen (DO)• Organisms in water need oxygen• Low DO can stress/kill organisms• Pollution reduces DO• Anoxia- lack of oxygen

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CHEMICAL INDICATORS

1. Temperature (lower temp, more O2)2. Altitude (pressure affects gas)3. Plant growth (respiration, transpiration,

photosynthesis cycles gases)4. Decay (cycles gases)5. Turbulence (rough water, catches air bubbles)

*VIDEO: Dissolved Oxygen (13 min)

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1. Temperature (lower temp, more O ) DO Thermal pollution DO changes with seasonal temp. changes

2. Altitude (pressure affects gas)3. Plant growth (respiration, transpiration,

photosynthesis cycles gases) • Time of Day:

DO day b/c of plant respiration DO night

4. Decay (cycles gases) DO Lots of bacteria/decay

5. Turbulence (rough water, catches air bubbles)

What time of the day/year will water have more DO due to temperature?

What time of the day/year will water have more DO due to plants?

When will there be more DO due todecay?

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pH- power of Hydrogen• The acid/base balance• Normal: 6.5-8.5• Lower or higher pH disrupts availability of

nutrients in water system

VIDEO: Strengths & Weaknesses of acids & bases (3:50)VIDEO: Crash Course Chemistry#30 pH & pOH (11min)

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NEUTRAL

Solubility of heavy metals

Algal blooms

More Hydrogen Less Hydrogen

HIGHER TEMP.

pH

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Polarity of water makes it an excellent solvent• As water molecules travel through the water

system & over land, the minerals it comes into contact with are pulled apart by the polarizing affect of water & ‘dissolve’ into water solution

W A T E R A N D S O L U T I O N S

Polar- having a negative side and a positive side

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/chemistry/energy/bsp/revision/2/

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+ ions pull toward negative side of water

molecule

Water surrounds charged particles and pulls them apart

- ions pull toward positive side of water

molecule

http://www.chemistryland.com/CHM107/Water/WaterTutorial.htm#

VIDEO: How polarity makes water behave strangely (4min)

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Dissolved solutions of water can be hard to separate & so collect in Earth’s water supply.

A lot of metals are TOXIC… can become

dissolved into drinking water

http://thisismyfinalyearproject.blogspot.com/2010/07/critique-2-research-and-analysis.html

Industrial storage/contaminated land

transpiration

Manure spreading

Uncovered road salt

Septic tank

Oil storage tanks

Public Water

Pesticides & fertilizers

Gas station

landfill

Urban runoff

Leaking sewers

plowing

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Halogen: ‘salt’ ‘make’ (F, Cl, Br, I) When in contact with a metal-Group 1, they turn it into a powdery salt… can dissolve in water

HalogensAlkali

Metals

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Eutrophication-nutrient overload

Nitrates • Soil particles• Decay• Man-made:

• Detergents• Fertilizers• Industry

waste

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Phosphates-

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/cj/testpop.htm?images/image003LG.jpg

VIDEO 1: Eutrophication (2min)VIDEO 2: Haber Process

Y O U R W A T E R

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Yadkin River Basin

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Y A D K I N R I V E R ‘ S C U R R E N T I S S U E S

Yadkin-PeeDee River currently supports 1.6 million people • Urbanization- building of roads, buildings, &

parking lots replace natural vegetation and soil• High Rock Lake most threatened section• High levels of nutrients, chlorophyll, turbidity, DO,

toxic levels of mercury in fish• Swimming advisories in upper watershed• Global climate change- droughts• Coal Ash- Duke Power

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SOURCES OF THE POLLUTION:• Point source- piped discharges from local

municipal wastewater treatment plants, local industrial facilities, large storm water systems

• Non-Point source- timber harvesting, agriculture, road, building & parking lot construction, failing septic systems

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Industry in the Yadkin-PeeDee Watershed• American Drew• Weyerhauser• ABTCO• RJR Tobaccoville• RJR Winston-Salem• ASMO• International Paper• Freightliner• Duke Power• Arteva Kosa• National Starch• AlCOA• Solite

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Coal Ash Spills-• Duke Power spilled 39,000 tons of coal ash into the

Dan River Feb 2014 (Dan feeds into the Yadkin)• 2015- it was discovered that 200 seeps were

occurring at 14 of Duke Power’s retired storage plants- seeping 3 million gallons a day of coal ash into the river

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/82-000-tons-coal-ash-spill-plant-

north-carolina-river-n23401

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/01/us/coal-ash-spill-reveals-transformation-of-north-carolina-agency.html?_r=0

VIDEO 1 Toxic Waste Spill in NC pt 1 (16min)VIDEO 2 Toxic Waste Spill in NC pt 2 (10min)

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Fracking-the process of injecting water & chemicals at high pressure into underground shale to fissure and release natural gas

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Could this enter our water supply?

VIDEO: Fracking explained (5min)

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East Coast bedrock

67VIDEO: Fracking in Lee County, NC (13min)

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S T E W A R D S H I P

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S T E W A R D S H I P

Clean Water Act 1972- to restore and maintain the health of US waters to include wetlands by preventing point and nonpoint pollution

Safe Drinking Water Act 1974- regulates US public drinking supply; amended in 1986 & 1996 to protect drinking water & its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs & ground water wells

Sewage treatment plants- facilities that clean waste materials out of water1. Primary treatment

• Dirt, water passes through screens to catch solid objects

• 2nd tank has smaller screens for smaller particles; sludge sinks to bottom; floating oils skimmed off top

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W A T E R T R E A T M E N T

2. Secondary treatment-• Water sent to aeration tank; mixed with

oxygen & bacteria; bacteria eats wastes, use O2

• Water sent to chlorinator to disinfect• Water released into river, lake, ocean

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72http://water.me.vccs.edu/courses/env108/lesson1_2.htmVIDEO: Water Resource Recovery (10min)

W A T E R U S A G E

73http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/06/08/triple-threat-coming-water-crisis

74http://www.verdantcommunity.com/conserve-water.html

Agriculture• Evaporation• Runoff• Sprinklers• BETTER: Drip irrigation systems- irrigate roots

75http://www.austinirrigationgroup.com/why-drip-irrigation-makes-perfect-sense-in-dry-climates/

Industry• 19% world water use• Manufacturing goods• Extract minerals• Generate electricity

C O N S E R V I N G W A T E R A T H O M E

• Low-flow shower heads• Low-flush toilets• Native plants• Shorter showers• Turn off water while

brushing teeth• Washing machine &

dishwasher full before running

76VIDEO: Water Crisis (3min)

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RESOURCES

• Hoosier River Watch Website & Volunteer training manual http://www.in.gov/idem/riverwatch/files/volunteer_monitoring_manual.pdf

• Carpenter, Brad, Scott Jackson, Hope Taylor-Guevara “A River in Jeopardy: The Yadkin & Pee Dee Rivers of NC” 2002.

• NC Holt Science & Technology grade 8; Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Orlando 2005.