1. WATER CYCLE

3. WATER (Hydrologic) CYCLE It is a “redistribution” of water. A drought somewhere = more water somewhere else

4. Can you name the processes? http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/e ss05.sci.ess.watcyc.watercycle/http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/e ss05.sci.ess.watcyc.watercycle/

5. How are groundwater and surface water connected? Percolation and Seepage

8. Earth = the natural filter

9. Surface water vs. Groundwater Which is generally more polluted? ~ Surface Water Which is harder to clean up? ~ Groundwater

10. Groundwater pollution sticks around... Very cold, no bacterial breakdown Very slow water movement: recharge can take 100’s or 1000’s of years Pollutants can stick to rocks in aquifer and pollute new water

11. What Pollutes Groundwater?

12. Sources of Groundwater pollution... landfills leaky underground storage tanks mines septic tanks hazardous waste - deep well injection any pollutant in runoff that percolates

13. Laws Clean Water Act – surface water –1972 – make water swimmable and fishable by regulating point sources –1977 and 1987 – storm water runoff –Section 404 – requires permit for draining, dredging, filling wetlands Mitigation banking Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) – monitors levels of contaminants in groundwater

14. Case Study: Natural Gas Drilling Marcellus Shale Fracking - Hydraulic Fracturing Loophole in Safe Water Drinking Act –natural gas companies don’t have to disclose chemicals being used http://gaslandthemovie.com/

15. How can we protect groundwater? Prevention is the key… –Monitor aquifers & landfills –Requirements for old fuel tanks Leak detection system Liability insurance –Stricter regulations on toxic waste disposal Above-ground storage of toxic waste...but then you have toxic mud spills!