Test Corrections

The three main pollutants that threaten the health and cleanliness of our watershed are bacteria, excess nutrients, and sediment. How do these pollutants typically get into our watershed?

• The wastewater (sewage) from the community goes directly into the creeks.

• Runoff carries the pollutants into the creeks.

• Factories release this pollution directly into the creeks.

• As cars drive over bridges, oil and gas leak out and drip into the creeks.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Which of the following actions can homeowners in New Braunfels take to help prevent pollution in their watershed?

• Use a lot of fertilizer on the lawn to help the grass grow better.

• Grill with charcoal instead of natural gas.

• Pick up pet waste from the lawn.

• All of these choices

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Many city streets have storm drains to prevent the streets from flooding during a rain. It’s important to prevent pollution from washing down the storm drains, because water that goes down storm drains –

• Is not cleaned or filtered; it goes directly into our creeks

• Goes into our houses for drinking and cooking

• Can attract alligators and piranhas if it is polluted

• Flows under our city streets and could leak into our houses

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

When fertilizers enter surface water, they cause problems in the watershed by –

• Clogging narrow streams and preventing water flow

  at leads to decreasing oxygen levels

• Increasing the levels of pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria

• Reducing the amount of nutrients available to aquatic plants and animals

• Causing rapid algae growth that leads to decreasing oxygen levels

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NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Explain how too much fertilizer in the water can ultimately cause the decline of an ecosystem.

Write in complete sentences.

Example: "Too much fertilizer in the water can cause....which can cause.... which leads to....."

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Beneath Comal County are two major aquifers – the Trinity Aquifer and the Edwards Aquifer. How does water get into these aquifers?

• Water bubbles up from the Earth’s mantle layer beneath the crust.

• Ponds and lakes in the local area empty into the aquifers.

• Water percolates down through the soil and rocks in the recharge zone.

• Waves from the ocean push water under the surface and fill the aquifers.

Large amounts of sediment in creeks and rivers can be harmful to aquatic plants and animals, and it can increase the cost of filtering and treating the water for human use. Of the choices below, what is the most effective action homeowners can take to prevent sediment pollution in the Guadalupe River watershed?

• Take showers only 2-3 times a week and limit the number of toilet flushes.

  wastewater.

• Use pet waste as fertilizer instead of purchasing fertilizer from the store.

• Plant grasses, flowers, and shrubs in areas of bare soil to prevent erosion.

• Demand the city shut down all businesses that produce wastewater.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Wastewater that goes down sinks, drains, and toilets from homes, schools, and businesses within the city limits goes to a wastewater treatment plant. At this location, the wastewater is filtered, cleaned, and disinfected. What happens to the treated water next?

• It is released into a nearby creek or river.

• It is pumped underground into aquifers.

• It is bottled and sold in stores

• It is pumped directly back to local homes, schools, and businesses

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

The maximum safe amount of E. coli bacteria in bodies of water used for swimming, diving, or water skiing has been set at 126 units per 100 ml of water. Shown below is the data table of average bacteria levels reported in the Comal River from 2006 to 2016. Which of the following statements is valid based on the information in the data table above?

• The amount of fertilizer in the Comal River is increasing.

• There is more plastic trash in the Comal River now than ever.

• The largest reported increase in bacteria levels in the Comal River was from 2014 to 2016.

• The water quality in Texas rivers is poor, because they are extremely polluted with bacteria

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Earth’s atmosphere contains water vapor and carbon dioxide. These gases are important because they –

• Insulate the planet by holding in heat

• Are substances animals need to breathe

• Protect against magnetic particles

• Create Earth’s gravitational field