Watershed
What is a watershed?
An area of land that drains all water to a common point of water.
What is water quality?
A measure of how clean or polluted water is.
The contamination of water bodies by harmful substance.
What are the three main stages of a river?
Youth, mature, and old age.
How do humans affect water systems?
Through pollution, deforestation, and urbanization.
What separates one watershed from another?
A divide or ridge.
What unit is used to measure pH?
Name one source of point-source pollution.
Factory pipe discharge or wastewater plant.
What stage has steep slopes and fast-moving water?
Youth stage.
What is water conservation?
Using water efficiently to reduce waste.
How does rainfall in one part of a watershed affect areas downstream?
Rainfall upstream can increase waterflow, flooding, and sediment movement downstream.
Define "turbidity"
The cloudiness or haziness of water caused by suspended particles.
Define “nonpoint-source pollution.”
Pollution that comes from many diffuse sources, not a single location.
What happens to a river’s speed and erosion as it moves from the mountains to flatter land?
The river slows down, carries less sediment, and deposits materials, forming meanders and floodplains.
Define “eutrophication.”
Excess nutrients in water cause algal blooms that reduce oxygen.
Why are watersheds important to humans?
They supply drinking water and support agriculture and ecosystems.
How can temperature changes affect the oxygen levels in water?
Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, which can harm fish and other aquatic life.
How does urban runoff contribute to water pollution?
Rainwater washes oil, trash, and chemicals from roads and parking lots into nearby rivers and lakes.
What happens during the mature stage of a river?
The river widens and develops meanders.
How can planting trees and vegetation help reduce water pollution?
Roots absorb excess nutrients, filter runoff, and prevent soil erosion from reaching waterways.
Define "Drainage basin"
The land of area where all precipitation collects drain off into a common outlet.
What does high nitrate concentration in water indicate?
Possible fertilizer or waste contamination.
Explain bioaccumulation.
The buildup of pollutants like mercury in organisms up the food chain.
Define “delta.”
A landform created by sediment deposited where a river meets a body of water.
Explain how climate change affects water resources.
It alters rainfall patterns, increases droughts, and melts glaciers.