Deck 11: Water Resources and Water Pollution

Question 1

When salt is carried from one region, such as a drying body of water, and lands on glaciers, it can raise the temperature at which ice melts and loss of the glaciers.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The shrinkage of the Aral Sea has altered the local climate of the surrounding area.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Even if a stream is overloaded with non-biodegradable pollutants, it can recover on its own relatively quickly through a natural recovery process once the pollution stops.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A large amount of the world's drinking water comes from desalination.

Question 5

Eutrophication is a condition of natural nutrient enrichment of a shallow lake, estuary, or slow-moving stream.

Question 6

Federal subsidies are provided to U.S. farmers who reduce water use in irrigation.

Question 7

Protecting wetlands will actually promote flooding.

Question 8

The porous layers of sand, gravel, or rock in most aquifers are like large, elongated sponges through which groundwater seeps, which typically moves only a meter or so (about three feet) per year and rarely more than 0.3 meter (one foot) per day.

Question 9

When too much groundwater is taken from an area, saltwater intrusion can result and lead to groundwater contamination.

Question 10

The creation of dams and reservoirs has decreased the annual reliable runoff available for human use.

Question 11

Drinking is the biggest use of water in the United States.

Question 12

A lake that is beautifully clear, so that it's possible to see right through to the bottom because there is so little organic debris, is called eutrophic.

Question 13

The use of dams, reservoirs, and water transfer projects has increased threats from flood damage in some cases.

Question 14

Agricultural activities are the leading cause of water pollution.

Question 15

Most aquifers are rapidly recharged through precipitation that percolates downward through soil and rock, making them a renewable resource.

Question 16

Almost half of the earth's land could experience extreme drought by 2045 due almost entirely to natural drought cycles.

Question 17

Cruise ships are a significant source of ocean pollution and dump toxic chemicals, garbage, sewage, and waste oil into the oceans.

Question 18

Power plants that heat the surrounding water create thermal pollution, which can make some species vulnerable to disease.

Question 19

We are using freshwater unsustainably through waste and pollution, and do not charge enough for its use.

Question 20

Drip irrigation systems are highly efficient in getting water to crops, with 90 to 95% of water reaching plant roots rather than being wasted.

Question 21

Tap water in Palm Springs, California, most likely comes from a river that originated in northwestern Colorado.

Question 22

Most fresh water in the eastern U.S. is used for manufacturing and cooling power plants.

Question 23

What is the primary problem with drawing excessive amounts of groundwater from near ocean coastlines?

A) Pollution travels faster through sandy soils.
B) Sand clogs up the wells.
C) Sinkholes
D) Land subsidence
E) Saltwater can be pulled into freshwater aquifers.

Question 24

What is the portion of surface runoff that we can generally count on as a stable source of freshwater?

A) Surface water
B) Drainage basin
C) Reliable surface runoff
D) Watershed
E) Precipitation

Question 25

The earth's surface is covered by ____.

A) much more land than water
B) about 71% water, mostly saltwater, and 29% land
C) about 71% water, mostly freshwater, and 29% land
D) about half water, mostly saltwater, and about half land
E) about half water, mostly freshwater, and about half land

Question 26

In the Gulf of Mexico dead zone, oxygen levels in lower water levels are low because ____.

A) the runoff into the dead zone is already extremely low in oxygen and mixes with the water already present in the Gulf of Mexico
B) phytoplankton consume vast quantities of oxygen without producing any oxygen
C) pollutants in runoff, especially fertilizers, lead to phytoplankton growth and the dead phytoplankton are consumed by bacteria that use up oxygen
D) the runoff into the dead zone is contaminated with high densities of bacteria that consume oxygen
E) of the Great Lakes

Question 27

What is a water resource that can be considered nonrenewable?

A) Water vapor in the atmosphere
B) Precipitation
C) Surface water in lakes and streams
D) Deep aquifers
E) Snowpack

Question 28

Large dams and reservoirs ____.

A) reduce danger of flooding upstream
B) disrupt migration and spawning of fish
C) cannot be used for outdoor recreation
D) allow extensive downstream transport of sediments
E) have created lakes over of otherwise unproductive land

Question 29

What is formed when extreme sudden subsidence occurs within a depleted aquifer?

A) Sinkholes
B) Freshwater scarcity stress
C) Virtual water
D) Lowered water table
E) An impermeable layer that prevents recharge

Question 30

Land erosion can produce sediments that disrupt biotic activity, a type of water pollution.

Question 31

Freshwater that is used indirectly is called ____, meaning freshwater that is not directly consumed but is used to produce food and other products.

A) Industrial water
B) Irrigation water
C) Virtual water
D) Gray water
E) Ground water

Question 32

What phenomenon can alter the hydrologic cycle on a global scale?

A) Gravity
B) Climate change
C) Electricity
D) Geothermal energy
E) Wind

Question 33

What has increased the annual reliable runoff available for our use by nearly 33%?

A) Sustainable water use practices
B) Dams
C) Aquifers
D) Drip irrigation
E) Water conservation subsidies

Question 34

In addition to natural drought cycles, what could cause as much as 45% of Earth's land surface to experience extreme droughts?

A) Lack of rainfall
B) Insufficient water for some urban areas
C) Climate change
D) Pollution of rivers, lakes, and groundwater
E) Freshwater scarcity stress

Question 35

Aquifers and _____ are the most important sources of drinking water globally.

A) rainfall
B) surface water
C) deep aquifers
D) desalinated ocean water
E) snowmelt

Question 36

Preventing contamination is the least expensive and most effective way to protect groundwater resources.

Question 37

The majority of reliable freshwater runoff usage in the southwestern states of the U.S. is for ____.

A) industrial processes
B) cooling towers of power plants
C) irrigation
D) domestic use
E) water theme parks in tourist areas

Question 38

Why did Saudi Arabia start importing grain rather than growing wheat in 2016?

A) Its major deep aquifer had been depleted by overuse.
B) Multiple years of severe droughts have depleted the water table.
C) Its very rich, oil-financed economy can easily import food rather than grow its own.
D) Desalinization of seawater around Saudi Arabia has contaminated local freshwater reserves.
E) Oil seepage from oil fields has contaminated local freshwater reserves.

Question 39

In the United States, freshwater scarcity stress is ____.

A) highest in the northern states
B) highest in the southeastern and southwestern states
C) highest in the Pacific northwest
D) highest in the northeastern and western states
E) highest in the southwestern, far western, and north central states

Question 40

A major concern about the Ogallala aquifer is that ________.

A) it is not being used at maximum capacity
B) it is experiencing over-pumping
C) it is severely polluted
D) it contains a dead zone
E) it is reliant on government subsidies for its continued use

Question 41

In less developed countries, _____ is responsible for the loss of 30-60% of water supplies, making this a major concern to address in improving the sustainability of water supplies.

A) salination
B) excessive irrigation
C) damaged aquifers
D) over-pumping
E) leakage

Question 42

What action could help decrease the single largest use of domestic water in the United States?

A) Use a drip system in your garden.
B) Install a low-flow shower head.
C) Use native plants in your landscaping.
D) Install a water-saving toilet tank.
E) Use gray water to water your houseplants.

Question 43

What is by far the leading cause of water pollution?

A) Unlined landfills
B) Organic wastes
C) Untreated sewage waste
D) Agricultural activities
E) Oil and natural gas production and development

Question 44

What decreases photosynthesis in bodies of water?

A) Disease-causing organisms
B) Inorganic plant nutrients
C) Eroded sediment such as soil or silt
D) Heat
E) Organic chemicals

Question 45

What in Brazil has reduced household water bills by 40%?

A) Water taxes
B) Water meters
C) National education campaign
D) Subsidies
E) Smart cards

Question 46

What has resulted along floodplains from channelization and loss of vegetation?

A) Increased droughts
B) Reclamation of wetlands
C) Lower rates of pollution
D) Increased flooding
E) Decreased biodiversity

Question 47

According to water resource experts, what are the two main causes of water waste?

A) Lack of government subsidies for improving the efficiency of water use and ignorance about the amount of water being wasted
B) Low cost of water to users and lack of government subsidies for improving the efficiency of water use
C) Industrial agricultural practices and over irrigation
D) Lack of information about efficient irrigation systems and lack of regulation of water use
E) Unsustainable management and over-pumping of aquifers

Question 48

What class of pollutant are acids, salts, and metals?

A) Oxygen-demanding wastes
B) Organic plant nutrients
C) Inorganic plant nutrients
D) Inorganic chemicals
E) Sediment

Question 49

____ can be added to water in bottles to speed up disinfection to make the water safe to drink.

A) Black coloring
B) The LifeStraw™
C) Rain water
D) Lime juice
E) Probiotics

Question 50

What is the most efficient form of irrigation?

A) Flood irrigation
B) Center-pivot irrigation
C) Low pressure irrigation
D) Precision sprinkler irrigation
E) Drip irrigation

Question 51

What class of pollutant can cause excessive growth of algae?

A) Sediments from land erosion
B) Oxygen-demanding wastes from sewage and animal feedlots
C) Plant nutrients from industry, farms, and households
D) Organic chemicals from industry, farms, and households
E) Infectious agents from human and animal wastes

Question 52

What is the best approach to reducing flood damage?

A) Funding scientific research on flood prevention
B) Education of the public
C) Avoid living on floodplains.
D) Prevention through preserving natural environments
E) Control through engineering solutions

Question 53

Lands that can be used for sustainable agriculture and forestry to reduce flood damage are ____.

A) floodplains
B) swamps
C) coastal areas
D) near lakes
E) in areas with high rain

Question 54

What causes cultural eutrophication?

A) Natural nutrient enrichment of a shallow lake
B) Blooms of algae
C) Increase in aerobic bacteria
D) Increase of plants such as duckweed
E) Input of nutrients from human activities

Question 55

Eighty-five percent of what exists near major U.S. population centers and have some degree of cultural eutrophication?

A) Coastal waters
B) Rivers
C) Large lakes
D) Ponds
E) Streams

Question 56

What is an example of point-source pollution?

A) Offshore oil wells
B) Runoff from livestock feedlots
C) Urban lands
D) Croplands
E) Parking lots

Question 57

What is a major disadvantage of desalination?

A) It requires the use of reverse osmosis and transpiration.
B) It is relatively expensive.
C) There is not enough brackish water to make it worthwhile.
D) Water produced this way cannot be used for irrigation.
E) Too much sea water is polluted and can't be used.

Question 58

What is an example of nonpoint-source pollution?

A) Drain pipes
B) Oil wells
C) Golf courses
D) Underground mines
E) Sewage treatment plants

Question 59

What is gray water?

A) Water that is only slightly polluted
B) Water that is heavily polluted
C) Water that has been lost through leakage
D) Water that has been previously used for washing and bathing and that can be reused
E) Water that is stored in an aquifer

Question 60

What can take decades to thousands of years to cleanse itself of slowly degradable wastes?

A) Lakes
B) Soil
C) Groundwater
D) Oil contaminated surface waters
E) Urban waterways

Question 61

____________________ are sources of freshwater found deep underground between the porous geological layers of sand, gravel, or bedrock.

Question 62

What aquatic ecosystem is most capable of diluting, dispersing, and degrading large amounts of sewage, sludge, and oil?

A) Estuary
B) Swiftly flowing stream
C) Deep-water ocean
D) Coastal parts of the ocean
E) Slow-moving river

Question 63

The process of ____________________ involves removing dissolved salts from ocean water to increase supplies of freshwater.

Question 64

Reducing government ____________________ to farmers may help to reduce water use by lowering the incentive to grow crops in dry areas.

Question 65

In the United States, ____________________ supply nearly all of the drinking water in rural areas.

Question 66

What are the main sources of lead, mercury and arsenic water pollutants?

A) Electric power plants
B) Unlined landfills, household chemicals, mining refuse and industrial discharges
C) Sewage and inorganic fertilizers
D) Runoff from streets and parking lots
E) Land erosion from farms that have used chemical insecticides

Question 67

Spaces in rock and soil called the zone of ____________________ are completely filled with water.

Question 68

How is an oxygen sag curve created?

A) The use of unlined landfills, household chemicals, mining refuse, and industrial discharges affects oxygen concentration.
B) The breakdown of biodegradable wastes by bacteria depletes dissolved oxygen.
C) The production of bacteria from livestock and food-processing wastes, and excess salts from soils of irrigated cropland absorbs oxygen.
D) The erosion of sediments and runoff of toxic chemicals react with oxygen.
E) The use of animal feedlots, food-processing facilities, and paper mills depletes oxygen levels.

Question 69

What aquatic ecosystem receives the vast majority of the global inputs of pollution?

A) Benthic zone of abyssal plain
B) Swiftly flowing stream
C) Deep-water ocean
D) Coastal parts of the ocean
E) Slow-moving river

Question 70

One of the most serious overdrafts of groundwater is in the United States in the lower half of the ________________aquifer.

Question 71

What does the EPA discharge trading policy use to reduce pollution?

A) Stocks and bonds
B) Tax credits
C) Public policy statements
D) Fair trade laws
E) Market forces

Question 72

Large amounts of rain can cause water from streams to spread onto surrounding ____________________.

Question 73

____________________ is the process in which bodies of water are enriched with natural nutrients.

Question 74

What is an effective way that individuals can avoid producing water pollution?

A) People should not flush medications down toilets.
B) People should use gray water for cooking.
C) People should water their lawns in the summer.
D) People should use gray water for drinking.
E) People should use standard-flow toilets, not composting toilets.

Question 75

Withdrawing massive amounts of groundwater can cause land elevation to become lower, which is also called ____________________.

Question 76

Human activities can greatly accelerate the rate at which nutrients and organic substances enter aquatic ecosystems from their surrounding watersheds in a process called _________________________.

Question 77

When the weather is dry or when groundwater is removed for human use, the ____________________ may be lowered.

Question 78

How do composting toilet systems help improve sewage treatment?

A) Sewage flows into a passive solar greenhouse.
B) Waste is converted to a soil-like humus that can be used as a fertilizer.
C) Water passes through an artificial marsh made of sand and gravel filtering out organic waste.
D) Household sewage and wastewater is pumped into a settling tank.
E) Aerobic bacteria remove as much as dissolved and biodegradable, oxygen-demanding organic wastes.

Question 79

The majority of the oil pollution of the ocean comes from ____.

A) Blowouts (rupture of a borehole of an oil rig in the ocean)
B) Tanker accidents
C) Environmental terrorism
D) Runoff from land
E) Normal operation of offshore wells

Question 80

What is the only effective way to protect groundwater?

A) Pollution prevention
B) Community-based local clean up
C) Bioremediation
D) Sewage treatment
E) Stream restoration