Watershed & groundwater
What is the water table?
The upper level of saturated soil or rock where groundwater begins.
How do pesticides contaminate surface water?
They run off from fields into streams, harming aquatic life.
How might humans negatively impact the ocean?
Overfishing, Trash, Fertilizer, oil, destruction of habitat, sound pollution.
How can humans keep trash and other pollutants from entering the watershed?
Properly disposing of waste so that it cannot enter the watershed
How does precipitation return water to Earth's surface?
Through rain and snowfall
How do impermeable surfaces affect groundwater?
They prevent water from infiltrating, reducing groundwater recharge.
What is eutrophication?
Nutrient overloading causes algae growth, depleting oxygen and killing aquatic life.
What are dead zones in the ocean?
Areas with little or no oxygen due to pollution.
What can humans do about trash that has entered the ocean?
Ocean cleanup projects that filter trash floating in the ocean. Such as the Pacific garbage patch clean up.
Define infiltration.
Water soaking into the ground.
What is a boundary in a watershed?
Watershed boundaries are the highest points that separate watersheds from one another.
Define surface water.
Water on Earth’s surface, like rivers, lakes, and oceans.
What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
A large collection of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean.
What can humans do to decrease the amount of runoff from cities.
Increase the use of permeable materials in the construction of open areas such as parking lots.
How do oceans drive watersheds?
They provided most of the water for the water cycle / rain and snow.
What is groundwater
Water stored beneath Earth's surface in soil or rock layers.
Explain how fertilizers affect water.
They can cause nitrate contamination, making water unsafe to drink or harming the ecosystem.
What is overfishing, and how does it affect ocean systems?
Catching fish faster than they can reproduce, reducing populations.
How can humans create new habitats for fish in the ocean?
Artificial reefs
Why are watersheds important for lakes and oceans
They collect and channel water back to rivers and oceans.
What is a watershed
An area of land where all water drains to a common point, like a river, lake, or ocean.
What is runoff?
The flow of water over the ground
How does agricultural runoff affect oceans?
It causes nutrient pollution, leading to dead zones.
What can humans do to prevent overfishing?
Practice responsible fishing practices and fishing regulations that protect fish species.
How might non permeable materials such as parking lots affect the watershed?
They will increase runoff and keep water from infiltrating (soaking into) the ground