1
What percentage of the earths surface is covered in water?
~75%
What percentage of the water on this planet is considered salt-water?
97.5%
Define the difference between surface water and ground water.
Surface water: water found on the earths surface
Ground water: water found in the ground
Water freezes at ____ 0F
32
Another name for the water cycle is the ________ cycle
True or False. All water tables are the same depth.
False, depending on terrain or the area, the water table depth will change.
Define the difference between permeable and impermeable.
Permeable: layers containing spaces, or pores, through which water can pass.
Impermeable: Layers with few or no pores.
What is runoff?
Water that flows over land and has not been absorbed into the ground.
Out of the percentage of freshwater, where is most of it tied up?
Glaciers and ice (79% of fresh water)
Why don't we just convert salt water to fresh water? What is that process called?
Cost is a large issue when is comes to converting salt water to fresh water. The process is called desalination. Another issue is time to convert the water and extract the salts is not ideal.
What is a recharge zone?
A recharge zone is any area where surface water soaks into the ground and reaches an aquifer below.
What is an aquifer?
Sponge-like formations of rock, sand or gravel that hold down water.
Why is freshwater considered a limited resource?
There is a finite (small) amount of it. A large portion of the freshwater on earth is in glaciers and not accessible to us currently. We rely on lakes, ponds, rivers and groundwater to sustain our lives.
Why does a lake remain a lake and the water doesn't soak into the ground?
The surface below the lake is impermeable. There is a certain amount of the water that will be saturated but once it reaches the impermeable zone, the water will no longer move through the ground.
Explain why well depth is important.
Well depth must be below the water table a considerable amount. Having the well dug deeper ensures that it will not go dry in case of a drought or any other circumstance.
Why was the golf course here in Quincy not put in at the base of monument hill like it was intended to?
The ability to drill and find enough water to facilitate a golf course was difficult to find.
Explain why water does not freeze in rivers but it freezes lakes/ponds.
Rivers have currents and movement of water. Lakes or ponds do not move unless water is disrupted making it much easier for a pond to freeze over.
What is a watershed? Why is it more effective to manage an entire watershed as compared to a single water source?
A watershed is an area where all points of multiple streams merge together before they hit a river. If anything were to be contaminated, hopefully it will be caught at the watershed before it runs to a larger body of water like a river.
How are some farmers able to turn on their irrigation systems when there is no water in the canals?
More than likely, the farmers are running off of a well for their irrigation system.
Why is it important to drain garden hoses or irrigation lines after use in the winter?
To make sure that water will not freeze inside the lines and expand and crack/break irrigation lines.