WETLANDS

Water & Watersheds

Water may seem abundant to us but globally is it rare.

About 97.5% of the water on the Earth is salt water found in the oceans.

The other 2.5% percent is fresh water found in lakes, rivers, streams, and glaciers, tapped in soil below the Earths surface and in the atmosphere.

Of that proportion of fresh water, 79% is ice, 20% groundwater & only 1% is surface water. Fresh water is a limited resource.

What makes water so special?

Exists in three states of matter.Dissolves almost anything b/c of its polarity

Why is water so special??Necessary for life..you are 70% water

Distributed unevenly in time as well as space.dry seasons vs. rainy

GROUNDWATERGroundwater is water stored beneath the Earths surface.

Water is pulled down by gravity underground where it contacts different layers of soil & rock.

Layers that water can pass through pores are called permeable. Layers with few pores are called impermeable.

Aquifers upper layer is called the zone of aeration. This layer has pores and water flows through.

The lower layer is called the zone of saturation and these spaces are saturated with water.

The boundary between the two zones is the water table.

The water table depth is determined by the shape of the land and the amount of available water.

The water table will rise during times of heavy precipitation and will fall in times of drier weather.

This water is accessed through wells and supplies most of daily needs.

The worlds largest known aquifer is the Ogallala aquifer, which resides below the Great Plains of the US. This massive aquifer has supplied water to American farmers to grow the most abundant crop of grain in the world.

This water is monitored often because it provides us with much of our drinking water.

Just 1% of water is surface water found on the Earths surface. Sources of surface water are rain, melting snow, glaciers & ice caps.

Water travels from these sources to bodies of surface water as runoff.

Runoff is water that flows over land and has not been absorbed into the ground. Runoff can flow into streams, lakes or ponds.River systems are a network of connected streams. These systems begin with a small stream flowing into a larger stream.River systems flow into bigger areas called watersheds. A watershed includes all the land area that supplies water to a particular river system.Watersheds are sometimes referred to as drainage basins.

The interconnected nature of watersheds greatly influence how they are managed.

Where does all fresh water in PA eventually drain? CHESAPEAKE BAY

Five Major PA WatershedsGreat lakes Basin- only 1% lies in PA

Ohio River Basin- 2nd largest, provides drinking water for 13 million people

Susquehanna/Chesapeake Basin largest watershed in PA covers 46% of the State

Potomac Basin

Delaware Basin- 3rd largest

Genese Basin

Smallest watershed in PA

Uses of Fresh WaterOne third of the worlds people are affected by water shortages.

Many sources of surface water & groundwater are literally drying up.

Globally, about 70% of our fresh water is used on agriculture. Industry accounts for approximately 22%.

Personal water usage is about 8%. These numbers can vary based on the country in which you live.

Lower income nations use more water for agriculture than high-income countries.

Agricultural UsesFarmers & Ranchers must use water for their crops & livestock to provide food for you.

About 1500 liters (400 gallons) of water are needed to produce 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of wheat.

Thats more water than an average person drinks in one year! It takes 10 times that amount of water to produce 1 kilogram of grain-fed beef.

Industrial UsesAlmost all the items that you use are created through a process that needs water.

American factories use about 68 billion liters (18 billion gallons) of water to make & transport their products

Water is also used in the energy industry to generate electricity. Engineers use the water to cool down the machinery when it gets hot.Water is also used to refine gasoline & oil. It takes between 1-2.5 gallons of water to refine a single gallon of gasoline.

Personal UsesEach day the average person in the US drinks 2-5 liters of water.

We also use water for bathing, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry & flushing the toilet.

Water keeps our lawn looking nice & fills our swimming pools. Personal uses happening inside the home are called residential uses.

Using surface waterBecause of overuse, surface water resources are being depleted.

Most of water we use is surface water and it must be pulled from its sources to our industries and homes.

Diverting Water When you live near a lake or river it is easy to get the water that you need.However, if you live in the desert, water has to be transported to you from farther away.

The process of moving water from its source to places where people live is called water diversion.For example, water from the Colorado River is diverted by canals to major cities including LA, Las Vegas & Phoenix.

This diversion comes at a high price and has turned some areas near the Colorado into deserts and the local economy has been harmed.2. Dams are built to regulate the flow of the river and build a stable supply of water. A dam is any obstruction placed in a river or stream to block its flow.

Dams will create artificial reservoirs of water for human use.

Surface water depletionDrought & overuse have significantly reduced surface water resources. Sometimes the diverted Colorado River dries up before reaching the Gulf of California.

Reduced water flow has altered the ecology of that region. Many populations of plants and animals have declined in numbers.including the pike minnow, humpback chub and razorback sucker.

Using groundwaterGroundwater takes much longer to replenish and it is being used faster than it can be replenished. Irrigation is a major use of groundwater.

Agriculture usesMost irrigation is very inefficient. Too much water can lead to waterlogging and salinization. Salinization if the buildup of salts in the surface layers of the soil. Too much salt can make the soil unusable.

Groundwater miningGroundwater mining is withdrawing groundwater faster than it can be replaced. This turns water into a nonrenewable resource. Las Vegas is trying to win approval to do this to supplement its water supply. Las Vegas is running out of water.

Many aquifers are being depleted as groundwater is mined. When this happens, the water tables drop and water becomes more expensive to use.Solutions to Freshwater DepletionWhen areas are out of water we can do two things: increase our supply or decrease our demand.

Solutions that increase our supplyWhen areas are out of water we can do two things: increase our supply or decrease our demand.

Increase supply.1. Desalination: method uses machines to heat saltwater until the water evaporates, leaving the salt behind. The water vapor can then be condensed into fresh water.

2. Reverse osmosis: a method that forces water through artificial membranes to filter out salts.Decreases demand.1. Agricultural solutions: create efficient irrigation systems, only choose crops suitable for the land & climate.

2. Industrial solutions: find new processes that use less water, recycle water within the plant

3. Personal solutions: reduce personal uses of water, water lawn at night prevents evaporation, choose outdoor plants for your climate xeriscaping, fixing leaking pipes & turning off the tap when you are brushing your teeth. Simple steps can go a long way in reducing your personal water footprint!

Water pollutionEvery type of water pollution comes from either a point or a nonpoint source.Point-source pollutants come from a specific location such as a factory pipe Nonpoint-source pollution can come from a variety of sources spread over a large area.

Runoff produced by precipitation flows across the land to pick up fertilizers, pesticides, salt, oil and other pollutants. Categories of pollutionnutrient pollutiontoxic chemical pollution sediment pollution thermal pollution biological pollution.

Nutrient pollution is when water has a high content of nutrients & low oxygen.Eutrophication occurs naturally when nutrients increase in the water supply. When the nutrients build up, algae growth and aquatic plant growth increase. More growth means more decomposition.

Decomposition requires oxygen, so the level of dissolved oxygen decreases. When this happens naturally, it takes a long time.But humans can increase this process by using products that contain phosphorus.like fertilizers and detergents.When the algae growth is uncontrollable it is called an algal bloom. The algal bloom will cover the waters surface depleting the oxygen that can be found underneath and blocking the suns rays.

Therefore many organisms will die.

2. Toxic Chemical pollution is when fresh water is contaminated by toxic chemicals.Toxic chemicals are released during many industrial and manufacturing processes.These chemicals can poison aquatic animals and plants as well as cause human health problemsincluding cancer.3. Sediment Pollution is when sediment is transported by rivers & runoff which can harm an ecosystemSediment pollution is a result of erosion. When large amounts of sediment enter the water, it causes the water to cloud, the rate of photosynthesis will decline, food webs may be disrupted and make the water quality poor.

Steps to prevent erosion:a. Avoid miningb. Avoid land clearingc. Building housesd. Careless farming

4. When water is warmer is holds less oxygen. This is thermal pollution. The most common example of this is when industry uses water to cool down its plants. Water can also become warmer when trees that shade the river are cut down. Thermal pollution harms fish & other aquatic organisms.

5. Biological pollution is when pathogens (disease-causing organisms) make their way into our water, air & soil.

Clean Water Act (1977)This federal law is the most important law to prevent water pollution in the US.

It made is illegal to release pollution from a point source without a permit.

It also sets standards for pollution levels in surface water and industrial wastewater.

Our water is cleaner now than they have been in decades.

STREAM CHARACTERISTICSSource- place where stream or river begins

Mouth- place where stream or river ends by flowing into another body of water

SEDIMENT LOADDissolved load- carried as water flows over rocks mostly from groundwater

Suspended Load- silt and clay suspended in the water

Bed load sediment carried on the bottom of the stream. This sediment is usually larger: sand, gravel and pebbles.

Velocity- the distance water flows during a period of time usually meters per second. The flow is either laminar or turbulentLaminar- slow movement

Turbulent- quick movementWATERSHEDSWatersheds or drainage basin is a region drained by a stream, lake or other body of water. Watersheds are surrounded by topographic highs called divides.

A divide is any ridge between two streams where precipitation runs off.PA WatershedsWhere does all fresh water in PA eventually drain?

CHESAPEAKE BAY

Great lakes Basin- only 1% lies in PA

Ohio River Basin- 2nd largest, provides drinking water for 13 million peopleSusquehanna/Chesapeake Basin- largest watershed in PA covers 46% of the State

Potomac Basin

Delaware Basin- 3rd largest

Stream biology & WetlandsStreams are aquatic ecosystems teaming with life. Types of organisms that can be found are algae, animal-like protists, invertebrates and vertebrates.

InvertebratesInsectsMollusksWormsFliesBeetles

VertebratesSalamandersFrogsFishGarBullheadsPickerelPike

Sometimes these organisms can be indicators of the healthiness of the stream.

FACTORS THAT AFFECTFresh water ecosystems can be affected by biotic and abiotic factors.

1.Stream order - the size or order of a stream relates directly to the organism that lives there.

The smallest stream is a first-order stream.First-order streams join to make second-order streams, which flow into third-order streams and then into fourth-order streams and so on..In PA, 80% of the streams are first or second order streams.

The rest are third or fourth order streams.2.Temperature- change in temperature affects the kind and number of organisms that live there.

Seasonal change, depth, and velocity

3. Current and velocity

4. Substrate- material that organisms live in or on.

5. Sunlight- amount received affects the ecosystems biodiversity.

6. Turbidity amount of sunlight that penetrates a body of water depends on the waters clarity

7. Dissolved solids: enter the stream from groundwater.

The dissolved load includes: magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, silicon, nitrogen, sulfur & phosphorus.Excess amounts of these elements can stimulate algae & plant growth. An overgrowth of algae will cause algal bloom.

This bloom will deplete the dissolved oxygen levels in the water & result in the death of many organisms.

8. Dissolved gasses: oxygen & carbon dioxide.

Oxygen is the most important gas determining the biodiversity of a stream.

9. Organic matter: is used as food.

Example: algae, plankton & bits of leaves & wood.

10. pH: Pure water has a pH of 7.

Rainwater is usually slightly acidic.

Most organisms can tolerate a mild pH change.

Major changes in pH can result in the death of organisms that live in the water.

WETLANDSWhat are the different types of wetlands?

Why are they important?

What factors can affect wetlands and watersheds?Types of WetlandsA wetland is an area that contains unique types of soil and is home to plants that are adapted to wet conditions.

Types of wetlands1. Bogs

2. Swamps

3. Marshes

BogsA bog is a wetland where the soil is composed of decomposed plant material called peat or muck.

Mosses are the dominant plant.Other plants: water lilies, cranberries, shrubs

Very acidic and contain little oxygen because the water does not move

Can support frogs, turtles, insects and certain birds.

SwampsA swamp is a forested wetland where trees and bushes are dominant.

Swamp soil drains very slowly can be rich in nutrients.

Swamps are classified by the type of tree that is dominant.

Conifer swamp cedars, pines, spruces, etc.

Hardwood swamp Maples, willows, aspens, birch, elms, and oaks.

Animals frogs, turtles, snakes, herons, egrets, deer

MarshesA freshwater marsh generally forms at the mouth of a river or in an area of poor drainage.

Soils are rich in nutrients.Supports vegetation such as grasses, shrubs and cattails.

Animals beavers, frogs, turtles, raccoons, birds, and insects.

Wetlands at Work1. Great habitat especially to threatened and endangered species

2. Food factories High primary productivity rates

3. Spawning and nurseries

4. Cycling nutrients

5. Buffer zones They act as natural sponges. They absorb excess runoff and slowly release it back to the environment

6. They also protect coastlines and hold the soil in place.

7. Pollution control

*The number one pollutant in PA is sediment.

*Wetlands help to reduce sediment by holding the soil in place and thus improving water quality.

Also prevent air pollution by storing carbon rather than releasing it into the air as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

Factors that Affect Wetlands and WatershedsHuman activities

Agriculture

Urbanization and Construction

Mining

Industry

Waste Disposal

Reasons to protect our WetlandsFunction and value

Fish and wildlife

Flood protection

Shoreline erosion

Water quality

EconomicsRecreation and aesthetics

How much water does it take to

Fill the average swimming pool72, 000 liters (19,000 gallons)

Water the average lawn2800 liters (750 gallons)

Take a 10 minutes shower50 liters (40 gallons)

Flush the toilet25 liters (6 gallons)

Run a load of dishes in the dishwasher25 liters (6 gallons)

costsBenefits

habitat alteraion

Clean power generation

fisheries decline

crop irrigation

population displacement

flood control

sediment capture

shipping

loss of fertile farmland

new recreational opportunities

risk of failure

Lost recreational opportunities