Water Resources Notes

Open Ended

Explain how the distribution of Earth's freshwater affects people's daily lives.

Multiple Choice

Why is access to clean freshwater a challenge even though most of Earth's surface is covered in water?

• Because most of Earth's water is saltwater and not suitable for drinking

• Because all water is polluted

• Because freshwater is evenly distributed

• Because people do not need much water

Multiple Select

Which of the following statements about watersheds is/are correct?

• Watersheds include all of the land area that supplies water to a river system.

• Every waterway defines a watershed.

• Watersheds only include rivers, not lakes.

• The Mississippi River Basin is the largest watershed in the world.

Fill in the Blank

Groundwater seeps through the soil and becomes contained in underground ___.

Open Ended

Describe the process by which aquifers release groundwater to the surface and give examples of natural features involved in this process.

Multiple Choice

What fraction of people on Earth are affected by water shortages?

• One third

• One half

• One eighth

• One tenth

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT one of the three main uses of fresh water?

• Agricultural

• Industrial

• Personal

• Recreational

Open Ended

Compare the changes in the Aral Sea between 1997 and 2009. What factors contributed to these changes?

Fill in the Blank

Groundwater mining turns groundwater into a ___ resource because it is withdrawn from the ground faster than it can be replaced.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are solutions to decrease the demand for freshwater?

• Drip-irrigation

• Desalination

• Water-conserving processes

• Xeriscaping

Open Ended

Why is access to safe drinking water important for children, based on the information provided?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes nonpoint-source pollution?

• Pollution from a factory pipe

• Pollution from a sewer pipe

• Pollution from many places over a large area

• Pollution from a single oil spill

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a direct consequence of nutrient pollution in water bodies?

• Increase in algae and aquatic plant growth

• Decrease in sediment levels

• Increase in water temperature

• Reduction in pathogens

Open Ended

Explain how toxic chemical pollution can impact both ecosystems and human health.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are effects of sediment pollution?

• Degrades water quality

• Increases photosynthesis rates

• Disrupts food webs

• Results from erosion

Fill in the Blank

Biological pollution occurs when ___ enter a waterway.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about ocean water pollution is correct?

• Oil pollution in the ocean mainly comes from large oil spills.

• Mercury pollution is not a concern for ocean organisms.

• Nutrient pollution can cause red tides in the ocean.

• Natural seeps are the smallest source of ocean oil pollution.

Open Ended

Compare the main strategies for reducing groundwater pollution and ocean water pollution.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT a result of the Clean Water Act as described in the lesson?

• Setting water pollution standards

• Requiring permits to release point-source pollution

• Banning all industrial activity near lakes

• Funding sewage treatment plant construction

Open Ended

Explain how government regulation and water treatment work together to reduce water pollution and protect public health.

Multiple Choice

What is one major challenge faced by cities like Las Vegas in securing water resources from the Colorado River Basin?

• Drought and overuse causing the river to run nearly dry

• Too much rainfall causing flooding

• Lack of technology to extract water

• Abundance of water sources nearby