Ecology Watersheds & Pollution Review

Front

What is a tributary?

Back

A smaller stream or river that feeds into a larger river within a watershed.

Front

Define watershed.

Back

An area of land where surface water and groundwater drain into a particular body of water.

Front

What is point source water pollution?

Back

Pollution that comes from a single, identifiable source, such as a pipe or a factory.

Front

What is nonpoint source water pollution?

Back

Pollution that comes from many different sources that are difficult to identify, such as runoff from agricultural fields.

Front

What is the saturation zone?

Back

The area below the water table where all the spaces between soil and rock are filled with water.

Front

What is the water table?

Back

The upper surface of the saturation zone, where the ground is completely saturated with water.

Front

What is runoff?

Back

Water that flows over the ground surface and returns to bodies of water, often carrying pollutants.

Front

What is an aquifer?

Back

A geological formation that can store and transmit water, often tapped for drinking water.

Front

What is an estuary?

Back

A coastal area where freshwater from rivers meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

Front

What is the difference between point-source and nonpoint-source pollution?

Back

Point-source pollution comes from a single source, while nonpoint-source pollution comes from multiple, diffuse sources.