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WorksheetsWater Resources and Pollution Quiz
Total questions: 90
Worksheet time: 48mins
Water that is used for crop irrigation in southern California's Imperial Valley originates as snowmelt in the
Sierra Nevada mountain range
Tehachapi mountain range of southern California
Rocky Mountains
springs that feed the Colorado River in nearby Arizona
Cascade Mountain range
The Colorado River system can be said to provide water and electricity for
one of every ten people in the United States
1% of people in the United States
5% of people in the United States
10 million people in the United States
The Colorado River does not provide electricity, but provides water for 10% of the U.S. population
Which of the following statements about the Colorado River is not true?
14 major dams and reservoirs have been built along the river
the system has experienced severe drought since 1999
it provides resources to people in 7 states
part of the upper basin originates in the state of Wyoming
the river still delivers the same amount of water to the sea in the Gulf of California
Lake Powell
is a reservoir behind Hoover Dam and is the second largest reservoir in the U.S.
is a reservoir behind Hoover Dam and is the largest reservoir in the U.S.
is a reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam and is the largest reservoir in the U.S.
is a reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam and is the second largest reservoir in the U.S.
is behind Hoover Dam and Lake Mead is behind Glen Canyon Dam
Water covers about ____% of the Earth's surface.
51
61
71
81
91
A water resource that would be categorized as nonrenewable would be
water vapor in the atmosphere
Precipitation
surface water in lakes and streams
confined aquifers
Snowpack
That portion of surface runoff that we can generally count on as a stable source of freshwater from year to year is best described as
surface water
drainage basin
reliable runoff
watershed
precipitation
Ultimately, which of the following is the source of energy that continually drives the hydrologic cycle?
Gravity
energy from the sun and gravity
Electricity
geothermal energy
Wind
Virtual water is water
that exists only in deep underground aquifers
that we hope to be able to draw on in coming years
that is not directly consumed but is used to provide us with food and other consumer products
that comes as precipitation in desert areas
that is predicted to be in runoff from snowfields at high altitudes
We can say that the United States has _____________freshwater scarcity stress
No
very little or minimal
Average
Spotty
Widespread
Worldwide, about 70% of the water withdrawn each year is used for
industrial processes
cooling towers of power plants
irrigation of croplands and raising livestock
domestic use
water theme parks in tourist areas
In the western United States, as compared to the eastern United States, the major water problem(s) is (are)
Flooding
insufficient water for some urban areas
chronic drought and insufficient runoff
pollution of rivers, lakes, and groundwater
insufficient water for industry
Which of the following statements is false?
The top of the groundwater zone is the water table.
The recharge of aquifers below cities is very efficient because of storm drains.
In the zone of saturation, spaces in rock and soil are completely filled with water.
Rivers of underground water are sometimes found in caverns in aquifers.
More than one of these choices is false.
The amount of water needed to produce the amount of beef in one single hamburger (most of which is used to grow the grain to feed cattle) is approximately
the same volume as the hamburger is
10 gallons
16 gallons
10 bathtubs full of water
16 bathtubs full of water
The Ogallala is which of the following?
a massive desalination plant in the Middle East
the world's largest known aquifer
a pumping station drawing fresh water from the Great Lakes for use in the S.W. United States
a large body of water in Russia that has almost completely dried up
a river in the Middle East that flows into the Mediterranean Sea, and has the potential to become dried up due to extensive irrigation systems
Which of the following is not a way to prevent groundwater depletion?
waste less water
subsidize water conservation
limit the number of wells
do not grow water intensive crops in dry areas
tax water pumped from wells near surface waters
Large dams and reservoirs
reduce danger of flooding upstream
disrupt migration and spawning of fish
cannot be used for outdoor recreation
can be used to provide electric power
two of these answers are correct
Which of the following statements about the Aral Sea is false?
Water has been diverted from the Aral Sea and the two rivers that replenish its water for use in manufacturing.
The volume of the Aral Sea has dropped by 90%.
The salinity levels have risen dramatically.
Most native fish species have disappeared.
Salts carried by the wind from the dried up lake basin are negatively impacting local crops.
Currently, in the United States, groundwater is being withdrawn ____ times faster than it is being replaced.
2
4
8
10
20
In 2008, Saudi Arabia announced that it will stop producing wheat by 2016 and will from that point on import wheat to feed its 29 million people. This decision has been made because
its major deep aquifer has been depleted by drawing water for irrigation
multiple years of severe droughts have depleted the water table
this very rich, oil-financed economy can easily import food rather than grow its own
desalinization of sea water around Saudi Arabia has contaminated local freshwater reserves
oil seepage from oil fields has contaminated local freshwater reserves
Which of the following statements about desalination is true?
The common methods of desalination are reverse osmosis and transpiration.
Desalination is expensive.
The removed salt can be dumped back into the ocean with no real concerns.
Desalination is the best approach to solving irrigation problems.
Desalination is the best method of acquiring clear water for drinking.
It is most economically and environmentally sound to focus water resource management on
increasing the water supply
controlling the "mining" of groundwater
reducing unnecessary waste of water
developing desalination plants
cloud seeding and towing icebergs to arid regions
Saltwater intrusion into freshwater (drinking water) supplies can occur when
land subsidence occurs
snowpack is used as drinking water in areas close to saltwater bodies
groundwater is withdrawn near saltwater bodies
water is drawn from desert lakes to irrigate crops
runoff of agricultural fields drains into wells
Conflicts within and between countries over scarce water supplies is expected to be most severe in
industrialized, developed countries
South America
the United Kingdom
the Middle East and part of Asia
all of these countries
In some areas of the Ogallala aquifer, water is being pumped
four times faster than it is being replenished
at the same rate it is being replenished
10 to 40 times faster than it is being replenished
It is not possible to determine this, since the aquifer is so far below ground.
The Ogallala is not being pumped at this point in time due to a Federal court decision.
Solutions to the increasing problem with water shortages in central and southern California include
reducing water waste by improving irrigation efficiency
not growing water-thirsty crops in this arid climate
raising the historically low cost of water to encourage water conservation
educating water users as the value of this precious resource
reducing water waste by improving irrigation efficiency, not growing water-thirsty crops in this arid climate and raising the historically low cost of water to encourage conservation
According to the World Resources Institute, what percentage of the water that people use throughout the world is unnecessarily wasted?
one-tenth
one-third
one-fourth
one-half
two-thirds
Which of the following is true of flood irrigation?
It relies solely on water that falls directly on the crop fields in the form of precipitation.
It results in 40% inefficient loss of the water applied.
It is the primary form of irrigation used in China.
It results in 40% inefficient loss of the water applied and it is the primary form of irrigation used in China.
At this time, it is the most efficient way to irrigate, from all of the known methods.
Which of the following is the most efficient form of irrigation?
flood irrigation
center-pivot irrigation
low pressure irrigation
precision sprinkler irrigation
micro irrigation
According to water resource experts, what are the two main causes of water waste?
lack of government subsidies for improving the efficiency of water use and ignorance about the amount of water being wasted
low cost of water to users and lack of government subsidies for improving the efficiency of water use
lack of desire to conserve water and knowledge that there is actually enough water on the planet to supply all uses
lack of information about efficient irrigation systems and lack of regulation of water use
There is a single main cause of water waste and it is the lack of regulation of water use.
The smart card water manager system that is used in ___________has typically reduced water and electricity use, and has reduced household water bills by about _______%
Singapore, 10%
Beijing, 40%
Singapore, 40%
Brazil, 10%
Brazil, 40%
According to the United Nations, from 30% to 60% of all water supplied in all of the world's major cities in developing countries is
used for crop irrigation
lost through leakage of water mains, pipes, pumps, and valves
recycled as grey water
used for watering landscaping
polluted
Which of the following actions will help to decrease the single greatest use of domestic water in the United States?
use a drip system in your garden
use a low-flow shower head
use native plants in your landscaping that do not require a lot of extra water
install a water-saving toilet tank
use grey water to water your houseplants
Benefits of floods include all of the following except
provision of productive farmland
refilling of wetlands
recharging of groundwater
filling up of soil air spaces to prevent oxidation of nutrients
supporting biodiversity
Floodplains usually contain
highly productive wetlands
debris that has been deposited during floods
high concentrations of agricultural chemical runoff
pest insect populations
nutrient poor soil
Floods and droughts are
strictly natural disasters
influenced by human activities
decreased by increases in human population
independent of human activity
always predictable and cyclic
Humans increase the likelihood of flooding by all of the following activities except
building on wetlands
draining wetlands
removing water-absorbing vegetation
building a park on a riverbank
building levees
Which of the following human activities is thought to be directly linked to why the damage from Hurricane Katrina was so devastating to the city of New Orleans?
the overdraft of groundwater from the region
the implementation of xeriscaping in the region
the degradation or removal of coastal wetlands in the region
the conversion of forests into land used for agriculture
the channelization of streams nearby
All of the following are actions that the country of Bangladesh is implementing to adapt to sea level rises due to climate change except
using varieties of rice that can better tolerate flooding
shifting to new crops such as maize
building small ponds that can collect monsoon rainwater to be used for irrigation during dry periods
creating a network of earthen embankments to protect against high tides
develop a system of capturing wave action during monsoons to run small, local power plants
To reduce flooding risks, an environmentalist is most likely to choose
floodplain management
a flood control dam
channelization of streams
artificial levees
artificial levees combined with channelization of streams
How can we reduce the threat of flooding?
All of the following are nonpoint sources of water pollution except
offshore oil wells
livestock feedlots
urban lands
Croplands
parking lots
Which of the following is a point source of pollution?
acid deposition
urban streets
oil tankers
suburban lawns
parking lots
Which of the following statements is false?
Heat lowers dissolved oxygen in streams and rivers.
Organic wastes that can be decomposed by aerobic bacteria reduce the amount of oxygen in the water supply.
Toxic chemicals released from industries can result in fish kills.
Inorganic nutrients such as fertilizers have no adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems.
Sediment can cloud water and reduce photosynthesis.
Nitrates and phosphates are examples of
disease-causing agents
oxygen-demanding wastes
organic chemicals
plant nutrients
Sediment
Acids, salts, and metals are examples of
oxygen-demanding wastes
organic plant nutrients
inorganic plant nutrients
inorganic chemicals
sediment
One class of pollutants that can cause excessive growth of algae is
radioactive substances
oxygen-demanding wastes
plant nutrients
organic chemicals
Sediment
Which of the following decrease(s) photosynthesis in bodies of water?
disease-causing organisms
inorganic plant nutrients
sediment such as soil or silt
heat
organic chemicals
An oxygen sag curve occurs when
Fish population numbers sag.
Heavy metals that have entered a stream bind oxygen molecules and remove them from the available oxygen supply.
The breakdown of biodegradable wastes by bacteria lowers the available oxygen in the water for organisms with high oxygen requirements.
Carbon dioxide values exceed dissolved oxygen values.
Oxygen content in the air around a particular body of water becomes slightly lower than normal
Which of the following statements is false?
Rivers are more vulnerable than lakes to contamination by plant nutrients, oil, toxins, and pesticides.
Lakes are more susceptible to pollution because of little water flow.
Eutrophication is a natural process and can occur without the influence of humans.
Human activities can induce cultural eutrophication.
Eutrophication is caused by inputs of nutrients from the surrounding land basin.
Which of the following developments of cultural eutrophication would occur last?
fish kills
blooms of algae
increase in aerobic bacteria
increase of plants such as duckweed
increase in anaerobic bacteria
About ____ of the 100,000 medium to large lakes in the U.S. suffer from cultural eutrophication.
one-fifth
one-fourth
one-third
one-half
one-tenth
Notice a slight sulfur smell. Which phase of cultural eutrophication does this sulfur smell indicate?
An algal bloom.
Anaerobic bacteria are decomposing the aerobic organisms.
Aerobic bacteria are decomposing the algae.
Fish have died from lack of oxygen.
Insect populations in the lake are dying off.
Groundwater
has turbulent flows that dilute pollutants
has large populations of decomposing bacteria that break down degradable wastes
is cold, which slows down decomposition rates
may take five to ten years to cleanse itself of wastes
is quickly renewable
_______________________ is the only effective way to protect groundwater.
pollution prevention
community-based local clean up
bioremediation
sewage treatment
stream restoration
The practice of suspending rust particles in contaminated water, and then drawing out the rust with hand-held magnets, has been effective in dealing with
DDT contaminated water
arsenic contaminated water
oil contaminated water
heavy metal contaminated water
acidified water secondary to acid rain
Arsenic is released into drinking water
from inorganic fertilizers
from sewage and animal wastes
from food processing facilities
when any well is drilled down to the water table
from mining refuse
Which of the following statements about underground contaminants is false?
Degradable organic wastes do not decompose as rapidly underground as on the surface.
There is little dissolved oxygen to aid in degradation of wastes.
Waste products are diluted and dispersed quickly in underground aquifers.
It can take hundreds to thousands of years for contaminated groundwater to cleanse itself of degradable wastes.
In some coastal areas, groundwater has been contaminated by saltwater intrusion.
Which of the following aquatic ecosystems receives the vast majority of the global inputs of pollution?
estuary
swiftly flowing stream
deep-water ocean
coastal parts of the ocean
slow-moving river
Which of the following aquatic ecosystems is most capable of diluting, dispersing, and degrading large amounts of sewage, sludge, and oil?
estuary
swiftly flowing stream
deep-water ocean
coastal parts of the ocean
slow-moving river
The majority of the oil pollution of the ocean comes from
blowouts (rupture of a borehole of an oil rig in the ocean)
tanker accidents
environmental terrorism
runoff from land
normal operation of offshore wells
All of the following are true about the discharge trading policy except
is sponsored by the EPA
uses market forces to reduce water pollution
allows polluters to pollute at higher levels than they have permits for under certain circumstances
purchasing of unused polluting credits from permit holders who are polluting below their allowed levels
polluters who pollute at higher levels than they have permits for are immediately closed down
Which of the following types of sewage treatment are properly matched?
primary--removal of pollutants particular to a given area
secondary--removal of oxygen-demanding wastes
advanced--removal of suspended solids
primary - removal of oxygen-demanding wastes
primary and secondary both - removal of pollutants particu
The shift to pollution prevention will most likely be the result of
bottom-up political pressure
elected officials recognizing the benefits of sustainable living
financial benefits of pollution prevention inspiring business leaders
community cooperatives promoting the idea
top-down politics starting at the White House
The main sources of lead, mercury and arsenic water pollutants are
electric power plants
inclined landfills, household chemicals, mining refuse and industrial discharges
sewage and inorganic fertilizers
runoff from streets and parking lots
land erosion from farms that have used chemical insecticides
Which of the following statements about drinking bottled water is NOT true?
Americans are the world's largest consumers of bottled water.
The movement to boycott bottled water consumption is called back-to-the-tap
86% of the bottles containing bottled water are recycled
Some of the bottled water that Americans drink comes from as much as 5,500 miles away.
BPA is a chemical in the plastic of water bottles that can leach into the water, especially if the bottle is exposed to the sun.
Most aquifers are rapidly recharged through precipitation that percolates downward through soil and rock.
True
False
A large amount of the world's drinking water comes from desalination.
True
False
We are using freshwater unsustainably by wasting it, polluting it and not charging enough for it.
True
False
Some water resources are best categorized as nonrenewable.
True
False
Drinking is the biggest use of water worldwide.
True
False
Flooding increases with economic and urban development.
True
False
Eutrophication is a condition of natural nutrient enrichment of a shallow lake, estuary or slow-moving stream.
True
False
Global reduction of grain-fed beef consumption would help to reduce water shortages.
True
False
One potential problem associated with global warming is that rising sea levels will cause salt contamination of coastal area soils.
True
False
The creation of dams and reservoirs has decreased the annual reliable runoff available for human use.
True
False
Salt from the region of the Aral Sea is being blown onto the alpine glaciers of the Himalayas, and is causing them to melt at faster than normal rates.
True
False
Federal subsidies are provided to U.S. farmers who reduce water use in irrigation.
True
False
Drip irrigation systems can increase crop yields by 20-90%.
True
False
An oligotrophic lake tends to have relatively high levels of dissolved oxygen.
True
False
If we protect more wetlands, that will actually increase the threat of flooding.
True
False
Use of dams, reservoirs and water transfer projects has disrupted ecosystems.
True
False
The shrinkage of the Aral Sea has actually altered the climate of the area around it
T
F
Heat is a type of water pollutant
T
F
Atmospheric warming will increase water pollution in areas with increased rainfall and areas with prolonged drought.
T
F
Cruise ships are a significant source of pollution of ocean water
T
F
The United States is the world’s largest user of water, and wastes about 50% of all water drawn from surface and groundwater sources
T
F
Land erosion causes water pollution
T
F
Preventing contamination is the least expensive and most effective way to protect groundwater resources
T
F
Water in a tap in Palm Springs, California, could have originated in northwestern Colorado
T
F
