APES Ch. 13 Reading Guide - Water Resources

By Sue O'Bannon
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Last updated over 1 year ago
30 Questions
Core Case Study
5
1.
Summarize the importance of the Colorado River basin in the United States and how human activities are stressing this system.

13-1 Freshwater is an Irreplaceable Resource That We are Managing Poorly
1
2.
Define freshwater.
3
3.
Explain why access to water is a health issue, an economic issue, a national issue and global security issue, and an environmental issue.
1
4.
What percentage of the earth’s freshwater is available to us?
3
5.
Define groundwater, zone of saturation, water table, and aquifer. Explain how aquifers are recharged.
2
6.
What is reliable surface runoff? What percentage of the world’s reliable runoff are we using and what percentage are we likely to be using by 2025?
2
7.
Define water footprint. What accounts for most of humanity’s water footprint?
4
8.
Define virtual water and give 3 examples of it.
1
9.
In the U.S., what are the major uses of groundwater and surface freshwater?
1
10.
What are the main factors that cause water scarcity in any particular area?
1
11.
What areas of the world currently face stress from freshwater scarcity? What area is likely to face stress by 2050?
13.2 Is Groundwater a Sustainable Resource?
2
12.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of withdrawing groundwater?
3
13.
What is the world’s largest aquifer and where is it located in the U.S.? How much groundwater does it supply? What has contributed to its unsustainable use?
1
14.
What are 2 problems that result from overpumping aquifers.
2
15.
Tapping into deep aquifers may be a future source of freshwater. What are the concerns with doing this? What do you think about this possibility?
13-3 Can Surface Water Resources Be Expanded?
1
16.
What are the main goals of a dam-and-reservoir system?
2
17.
What are the pros/cons of using dams/reservoirs?
3
18.
What has happened to water flows in the Colorado River since 1960? Explain how the damming of this river has affected its delta? List 3 possible solutions to the supply problems in the Colorado River basin.
13-4 Can Water Transfers Be Used to Expand Water Supplies?
1
19.
What is a water transfer?
3
20.
Describe two large water-transfer programs, explain how they came about, and summarize the controversy around each of these programs.
13-5 Is Desalination a Useful Way to Expand Water Supplies?
1
21.
What is desalination?
2
22.
Describe the 2 most widely used methods for desalination.
1
23.
How much of the world’s freshwater demand is met with desalination?
3
24.
What are 3 major problems associated with salination?
13-6 How Can We Use Freshwater More Sustainably?
2
25.
_______ % of the freshwater used in the world and about _______ % of the freshwater used in the U.S. is lost through _______ . What are 2 major reasons for this?
2
26.
Describe 2 inefficient irrigation methods. How much water is lost for each of these methods?
2
27.
Describe 2 efficient irrigation methods. How much water reaches the crops with these methods?
2
28.
Read pages 338-341. What are 5 ways we can reduce and/or be more efficient in our water usage?
13-7 How Can We Reduce the Threat of Flooding?
2
29.
Read this section. What are the benefits and harms of flooding?
1
30.
Describe the flooding risks that many people in Bangladesh face and what they are doing about it.