6.4a Water Pollution

Open Ended

Why is it important to learn about water pollution and its impact on the environment?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes non-point source pollution?

• Pollution from a single, identifiable source like a pipe

• Pollution that can be traced to a treatment plant

• Pollution from an aggregate of sources over a large area

• Pollution caused only by factories

Categorize

Options (7)

Discharge from local paper mill

wastewater treatment overflow

acid mine drainage from an abandoned coal mine

runoff from the construction of a new neighborhood

agricultural pesticides

auto oil from San Francisco streets

plastic from a coastal community

Sort the sources of pollution into two categories.

Point Source

Non-Point Source

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a major category of water pollution by composition?

• Nutrient pollution

• Thermal pollution

• Noise pollution

• Sediment pollution

Multiple Select

Which of the following statements about the oxygen sag curve is/are correct?

• It is most often caused by nutrient pollution.

• It shows how dissolved oxygen and biological oxygen demand change downstream of a pollution source.

• It indicates that biodiversity decreases as dissolved oxygen drops.

• It is only caused by thermal pollution.

Multiple Choice

What are two major contributors to thermal pollution in urban environments?

• Power plants and urban runoff

• Agriculture and construction

• Sediment and nutrient pollution

• Chemical spills and erosion

Fill in the Blanks

Thermal pollution can cause a decrease in

in water.

Multiple Choice

Describe how sediment pollution can impact aquatic ecosystems.

• Sediment pollution enhances aquatic habitats by increasing nutrient levels and promoting biodiversity.
• Sediment pollution improves water clarity and supports the growth of aquatic plants and animals.
• Sediment pollution has no effect on aquatic ecosystems and is a natural process in water bodies.
• Sediment pollution negatively impacts aquatic ecosystems by smothering habitats, reducing light, disrupting feeding, and contributing to harmful algal blooms.

Fill in the Blanks

Nutrient and thermal pollution reduces biodiversity be causing dissolved oxygen to

.

Match

Match each example with its type of pollution

• Nutrient Pollution

• Thermal Pollution

• Sediment Pollution

• Biological Pollution

• Chemical Pollution

Agricultural fertilizers

Water discharge from cooling towers

Erosion from a newly clear cut area

Runoff from a large feedlot operation

Agricultural Pesticides

• Agricultural fertilizers

• Water discharge from cooling towers

• Erosion from a newly clear cut area

• Runoff from a large feedlot operation

• Agricultural Pesticides

Open Ended

Reflecting on today's lesson about water pollution, what is one action you can take to help reduce water pollution in your community?