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

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.

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?