Human Impact on the Hydrosphere

There are 17 river basins in North Carolina NC River Basins There are 17 river basins in North Carolina 4 of them empty into the Atlantic Ocean Some of them flow into South Carolina The remaining flow westward to the Mississippi River Important for states to reduce the amount of pollution in the rivers because the rivers do flow to other states

Water All humans depend on water Bathing, drinking, cooking, washing, etc. Water is not evenly distributed, some areas have less water than needed

Population Over the last century Human population has increased 3x Global water withdrawal has increased 7x About one-sixth of the world’s people don’t have easy access to safe water

Dams A dam is a structure that is built across a river or stream that restricts the flow of water Creates a reservoir behind the dam Used for: Drinking, Irrigation, Electricity Dams can destroy ecosystems however

Types of Water Pollution Point Source Pollution – contaminants have an identifiable source Smokestacks, car tailpipe Nonpoint Source Pollution Contaminant source cannot be found Several farmlands in the same area

Major Sources of Water Pollution Agriculture: by far the leader Pesticides, fertilizers Industrial: factories and powerplants Mining: surface mining toxics, acids, sediment

Non-Point Water Pollution Non-Point pollution reaches bodies of water through streets and sewers. Pesticides, fertilizers are washed off lawns Animal feces float away from farms 96% of water pollution is from non- point sources

Groundwater Pollution Groundwater pollution can be caused by: Leaking chemical storage barrels Landfills Fertilizers Sewage from septic systems This can contaminate wells and a communities drinking water

Salt Water Intrusion Salt water intrusion is the movement of saline water into a freshwater aquifer When water is pumped from coastal wells a path is created for the salt water to flow to the aquifer Can also occur due to storm surge from a hurricane Estuary Degradation-Sediments from erosion due to deforestation enter estuaries and impact water quality

Arsenic Contamination Arsenic is a poisonous element that is sometimes dissolved inside of groundwater Caused by Tube wells- Water wells that drill down to the water table. Are lined with arsenic

Coastal Water Near shore regions are easily affected by pollution 50% of the US population lives near a city Pollutants from cities can end up in the oceans Oil spills are also a potential hazard due to oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico. Death of organisms Economic impact Gulf Oil Spill 2009

Wastewater Treatment Plants Water goes to a treatment plant after it is flushed Not all harmful substances are removed Industrial wastewater and storm runoff contain toxic substances that aren’t removed

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=pRaptzcp9G4 Flush to Finish https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=pRaptzcp9G4 Watch, fill in worksheet and compare to the diagram on the next slide

Ways to save water: Water Conservation Use low flow toilets/showers Water purification plans Use garden hose nozzels