1. Environmental Science Chapter 5 Notes #1

2. Water -Renewable resource -Makes up 60 -70 percent of the weight of living organisms -constantly circulated by the water cycle -70% of Earth’s surface is water - Less than 1% of water is surface water - Earth + Atm = 336 million cubic miles of water

3. Water - 97% = salt water, 3% = Fresh - 77% of fresh = polar ice caps - Very small fraction of water is available for our use

4. Water Surface Water Surface Water –Fresh water found above ground –Large cities depend on this for water supplies –Lakes, rivers, etc. All created by precipitation All created by precipitation Watershed Watershed –Area of land drained by a river Amt of River water depends on precipitation Amt of River water depends on precipitation Lakes are a more stable water source Lakes are a more stable water source

5. Water River Controversy River Controversy –Areas fight over water rights –Ex. Colorado River (flows 1450 miles = 2335 km) (flows 1450 miles = 2335 km) one of largest bodies of water in the west one of largest bodies of water in the west –Arizona v. California –so much water gets taken out, there is very little left when it gets to the gulf

6. Water Dams Dams –Structure built to restrict the flow of water –Covers an ecosystem with water –Forms reservoirs (artificial lakes) –Used for agriculture, industry, and drinking –Can also create controversy Ex. Turkey V. Iraq and Syria Ex. Turkey V. Iraq and Syria Dams in Turkey Dams in Turkey NO water in Iraq and Syria NO water in Iraq and Syria

7. Water Groundwater Groundwater Water that seeps underground Water that seeps underground –Aquifer – rock formations that hold rock, sand, gravel, with air space for water Hard to purify Hard to purify Water clings to sand grains Water clings to sand grains Made of bedrock, limestone, sand, and/or gravel Made of bedrock, limestone, sand, and/or gravel –Water percolates down, millions yrs. Natural filter (rock, sand, gravel) Natural filter (rock, sand, gravel) –Recharge zone – area of land from where water makes its way to an aquifer –Accessed by drilling and installing pumps

8. Water Solutions Solutions –1. Desalinization/Desalination Distillation Distillation Reverse Osmosis Reverse Osmosis –2. Towing Water Ex. Moving ice bergs Ex. Moving ice bergs –3. Water Conservation Ex. Low flow faucets, toilets, dishwashers, etc. Ex. Low flow faucets, toilets, dishwashers, etc. –4. Cleaning up currently polluted water