Wat

er

Cha

pter

9

Aqu

atic

Eco

syst

ems

•A

quat

ic li

fe e

cosy

stem

s pr

ovid

e fo

od fo

r m

illio

ns o

f peo

ple

•E

ach

supp

orts

a s

peci

fic ty

pe o

f spe

cies

•F

our

type

s:–

Riv

ers

and

stre

ams

–La

kes

–F

resh

wat

er w

etla

nds

–C

oast

al o

r m

arin

e

Typ

es o

f Wat

er

•S

altw

ater

(97

% o

f Ear

th’s

wat

er)

–O

cean

s an

d se

as–

Tra

nspo

rtat

ion

and

dum

ping

pol

lute

the

wat

ers

•F

resh

wat

er (

3% o

f Ear

th’s

wat

er)

–F

ound

in r

iver

s, s

trea

ms,

lake

s, p

onds

, and

un

derg

roun

d aq

uife

rs–

2% is

una

vaila

ble

(fro

zen

glac

iers

and

ice

caps

)–

It is

bei

ng p

umpe

d ou

t fas

ter

than

it is

re

plen

ishe

d–

Wat

er s

carc

ity je

opar

dize

s th

e fo

od s

uppl

y

Wat

er

•W

ithou

t wat

er, h

uman

s w

ould

sur

vive

3-4

day

s•

Onl

y 1%

of t

he E

arth

’s w

ater

sup

ply

can

be

cons

umed

by

hum

ans

•T

he s

uppl

y is

jeop

ardi

zed

by:

–R

apid

pop

ulat

ion

grow

th–

Incr

ease

s in

mun

icip

al w

ater

con

sum

ptio

n–

Glo

bal w

arm

ing

and

drou

ght

–In

crea

ses

in ir

rigat

ion

–P

ollu

tion

Wat

er S

ourc

es

•S

urfa

ce w

ater

–O

cean

wat

er–

Est

uarie

s–

Riv

ers,

str

eam

s–

Lake

s, p

onds

–W

etla

nds

•G

roun

dwat

er–

Aqu

ifers

are

un

derg

roun

d re

serv

oirs

–B

roug

ht to

the

surf

ace

by s

prin

gs–

Wat

er ta

bles

are

un

der

tops

oil

Est

uarie

s

•W

here

sal

twat

er a

nd fr

eshw

ater

mee

t•

The

oce

an p

rovi

des

the

saltw

ater

•R

iver

s an

d st

ream

s pr

ovid

e th

e fr

eshw

ater

•P

rovi

des

a ha

bita

t for

man

y sp

ecie

s to

bre

ed,

spaw

n, a

nd g

row

Wet

land

s

•A

tran

sitio

n zo

ne b

etw

een

wat

er a

nd la

nd•

Abs

orb

larg

e qu

antit

ies

of w

ater

bec

ause

of t

heir

spon

ge-li

ke c

apab

ilitie

s•

Fou

r ty

pes

–M

arsh

es (

e.g.

Flo

rida

Eve

rgla

des)

–S

wam

ps (

know

n fo

r st

andi

ng w

ater

, tre

es, a

nd

shru

bs; a

.k.a

. bay

ous)

–B

ogs

(kno

wn

for

ever

gree

n tr

ees,

shr

ubs,

pe

at, a

nd s

phag

num

)–

Fen

s (k

now

n fo

r gr

asse

s, r

eeds

, and

w

ildflo

wer

s)

Aqu

ifers

•A

res

ervo

ir of

wat

er th

at is

rec

harg

ed b

y ra

infa

ll, r

iver

s, a

nd la

kes

•D

eple

tion

of w

ater

from

aqu

ifers

is a

maj

or

conc

ern

–O

galla

la a

quife

r–

Spa

rta

aqui

fer

Wat

ersh

eds

•A

n ar

ea o

f lan

d th

at d

rain

s to

a b

ody

of

wat

er to

pro

tect

sur

face

wat

er•

Wat

ersh

eds

depe

nd o

n w

etla

nds

to fi

lter

nutr

ient

s an

d m

edia

te w

ater

and

soi

l ch

emis

try

•S

ome

wat

ersh

ed p

roje

cts

prot

ect f

ish

•S

ome

have

dam

s th

at c

aptu

re th

e w

ater

•In

urb

an a

reas

, wat

ersh

ed p

onds

cat

ch

stor

m w

ater

run

off

The

Use

of F

resh

wat

er

•W

ater

usa

ge is

mon

itore

d by

the

U.S

. G

eolo

gica

l Sur

vey

(US

GS

)•

The

use

of s

urfa

ce w

ater

is c

lass

ified

as

in-s

trea

m o

r of

f-st

ream

•T

he la

rges

t use

s of

wat

er:

–A

gric

ultu

re–

Indu

stry

–H

ouse

hold

use

Agr

icul

tura

l Use

s

•C

rop

irrig

atio

n–

Tw

o-th

irds

of w

ater

use

wor

ldw

ide

–S

ingl

e bi

gges

t use

of w

ater

con

sum

ptio

n in

th

e U

.S.

•Li

vest

ock

•P

arks

and

gol

f cou

rse

mai

nten

ance

Indu

stria

l Use

•C

oolin

g of

f gen

erat

ors

for

pow

er p

lant

s•

Pro

cess

es in

man

ufac

turin

g–

Maj

or p

ollu

ters

incl

ude

solv

ent,

mer

cury

, and

di

oxin

s

•M

inin

g op

erat

ions

Hou

seho

ld U

ses

•T

he ty

pica

l per

son

uses

100

–150

gal

lons

pe

r da

y or

23,

000

gallo

ns p

er y

ear

–F

lush

ing

the

toile

t–

Per

sona

l bat

hing

and

han

d w

ashi

ng–

Laun

dry

–K

itche

n ta

sks

–W

ater

ing

the

law

n–

Was

hing

the

car,

etc

.

Aqu

acul

ture

•A

n en

viro

nmen

t to

grow

food

, pet

s, b

ait,

and

fish

for

spor

t•

U.S

. Fis

h an

d W

ildlif

e S

ervi

ce is

re

spon

sibl

e fo

r re

gula

ting

fres

hwat

er fi

sh

and

recr

eatio

nal f

ishi

ng•

Priv

ate

hatc

herie

s vs

. pub

lic h

atch

erie

s•

It is

a p

rofit

able

bus

ines

s fo

r fin

fish,

sh

ellfi

sh, c

rust

acea

ns, r

eptil

es, a

nd

vario

us a

quat

ic p

lant

s

Hyd

roel

ectr

ic G

ener

atio

n

•H

ydro

elec

tric

pla

nts

requ

ire a

dam

and

a

rese

rvoi

r•

Hoo

ver

Dam

was

con

stru

cted

on

the

Col

orad

o R

iver

in th

e 19

30s

to g

ener

ate

pow

er, c

ontr

ol fl

oods

, use

for

irrig

atio

n,

and

recr

eatio

n•

Inse

rt F

ig. 1

1-9

Glo

bal W

arm

ing

Issu

es•

Glo

bal w

arm

ing

chan

ges

surf

ace

and

grou

nd

wat

er s

uppl

ies

with

cha

nges

in a

quat

ic li

fe•

Whe

n w

ater

tem

pera

ture

s ris

e, a

lgae

flou

rish

•T

hen

phot

osyn

thes

is in

crea

ses

so p

lant

s gr

ow

fast

er a

nd d

ie•

Incr

ease

d w

ater

tem

pera

ture

incr

ease

s m

etab

olic

rat

es o

f aqu

atic

ani

mal

s an

d th

e de

man

d fo

r ox

ygen

•T

he w

arm

er w

ater

s pr

ovid

e lo

wer

con

cent

ratio

ns

of d

isso

lved

oxy

gen

(DO

)•

Som

e sp

ecie

s ar

e un

able

to r

epro

duce

in w

arm

w

ater

and

are

mor

e su

scep

tible

to d

isea

se

Oce

an P

ollu

tion

•S

ewag

e, to

xic

was

te, a

nd o

ther

har

mfu

l m

ater

ials

wer

e du

mpe

d in

to th

e oc

ean

until

198

8•

Sed

imen

t mus

t be

dred

ged

for

boat

s to

pa

ss th

roug

h ch

anne

ls•

Boa

ts le

ave

behi

nd o

il, g

asol

ine,

hum

an

was

te, a

nd o

ther

mat

eria

ls•

Oil

spill

s ar

e co

mm

on o

ccur

renc

es

Law

s A

gain

st O

cean

Pol

lutio

n

•19

72 M

arin

e P

rote

ctio

n, R

esea

rch,

and

S

anct

uarie

s A

ct•

The

EP

A, U

.S. A

rmy

Cor

ps o

f Eng

inee

rs,

Nat

iona

l Oce

anic

and

Atm

osph

eric

A

dmin

istr

atio

n, a

nd U

.S. C

oast

Gua

rd

regu

late

per

mits

and

enf

orce

the

ban

on

dum

ping

•19

90 O

il P

ollu

tion

Act

(P

L 10

1-38

0)

requ

ires

plan

ts to

cle

an u

p oi

l spi

lls

Fre

shw

ater

Pol

lutio

n

•A

lead

ing

caus

e of

pol

lutio

n is

sed

imen

t car

ried

by w

ind

or r

unof

f fro

m u

rban

dev

elop

men

ts•

Fis

h su

ffoca

te o

r di

e fr

om d

isea

se a

nd

vege

tatio

n be

com

es o

verg

row

n•

Bio

chem

ical

oxy

gen

dem

and

(BO

D)

is a

n in

dica

tor

for

oxyg

en n

eede

d by

aqu

atic

spe

cies

•A

hig

h B

OD

indi

cate

s m

icro

orga

nism

s ar

e in

the

wat

er tr

ying

to m

anag

e po

llutio

n an

d de

cay

Flo

odin

g

•T

he m

ost c

omm

on o

f all

envi

ronm

enta

l ha

zard

s•

Cau

sed

by h

eavy

rai

ns, e

spec

ially

in a

reas

w

ith a

hig

h w

ater

tabl

e•

Drin

king

wat

er s

uppl

ies

are

pollu

ted

•S

tagn

ant w

ater

poo

ls p

rovi

de b

reed

ing

grou

nd fo

r m

osqu

itoes

•F

lood

wat

ers

also

car

ry s

ewag

e, fe

rtili

zers

, pe

stic

ides

, and

oth

er p

ollu

tant

s

Agr

icul

tura

l Pol

lutio

n

•Ir

rigat

ion

carr

ies

runo

ff–

Pes

ticid

es–

Fer

tiliz

ers

–A

nim

al w

aste

•A

ll co

ntam

inat

e dr

inki

ng w

ater

sup

plie

s

Urb

an R

unof

f

•G

asol

ine,

oil,

rub

ber,

and

oth

er m

ater

ials

le

ft on

str

eets

and

hig

hway

s fr

om

auto

mob

iles

•E

xcre

men

t fro

m a

nim

als

and

bird

s is

als

o ca

rrie

d in

the

runo

ff•

Som

e ci

ties

by th

e co

ast c

arry

the

runo

ff to

th

e oc

ean

•S

wim

mer

adv

isor

ies

indi

cate

hig

h ba

cter

ia

coun

ts in

the

wat

er

Gro

undw

ater

Pol

lutio

n

•G

roun

dwat

er in

aqu

ifers

or

wel

ls a

re

cont

amin

ated

by

pollu

tant

s th

at p

erco

late

or

leac

h th

roug

h th

e so

il•

Und

ergr

ound

sto

rage

tank

s, le

akin

g pi

ts,

pond

s, a

nd la

goon

s ar

e so

urce

s of

gr

ound

wat

er p

ollu

tion

•W

hen

rain

fall

is h

eavy

sew

ers

and

sept

ic

tank

s ov

erflo

w

Sou

rce

Pol

lutio

n

•P

oint

sou

rce

pollu

tion

–F

acto

ries

acco

unt f

or

the

maj

ority

of i

t–

Mer

cury

, dio

xins

, and

ot

her

harm

ful

pollu

tant

s–

Byp

rodu

cts

are

disc

harg

ed in

to th

e w

ater

–E

PA

has

set

tota

l m

axim

um d

aily

load

s (T

MD

Ls)

stan

dard

s

•N

on-p

oint

sou

rce

pollu

tion

–A

gric

ultu

re a

ccou

nts

for

50-7

0% o

f it

–F

ertil

izer

s, p

estic

ides

, so

il er

osio

n, a

nd

man

ure

–E

xces

s ni

trog

en a

nd

phos

phor

us c

ause

ve

geta

tion

to g

row

out

of

con

trol

–M

any

diffe

rent

sou

rces

of

this

pol

lutio

n

Wat

er L

aws

•19

48 F

eder

al W

ater

Pol

lutio

n C

ontr

ol A

ct•

1977

Cle

an W

ater

Act

•19

74 S

afe

Drin

king

Wat

er A

ct•

1976

Res

ourc

e C

onse

rvat

ion

and

Rec

over

y A

ct•

1980

Com

preh

ensi

ve E

nviro

nmen

tal R

espo

nse,

C

ompe

nsat

ion,

and

Lia

bilit

y A

ct•

1996

Fed

eral

Inse

ctic

ide,

Fun

gici

de, a

nd

Rod

entic

ide

Act

Rec

reat

iona

l Wat

ers

•T

he N

atur

al R

esou

rce

Com

mis

sion

wor

ks

with

loca

l hea

lth d

epar

tmen

ts to

pro

mot

e w

ater

shed

pro

tect

ion

and

cont

rol w

ater

ru

noff

•E

nsur

es th

at r

ecre

atio

nal w

ater

is s

afe

for

swim

min

g an

d fis

hing

•A

cidi

ty, a

lkal

inity

, and

turb

idity

are

im

port

ant i

ndic

ator

s

Drin

king

Wat

er Q

ualit

y

•“P

otab

le w

ater

” is

saf

e fo

r dr

inki

ng a

nd

cook

ing

•C

an b

e co

ntam

inat

ed w

ith b

acte

ria,

chem

ical

s (n

itrat

es),

met

als

(Pb

and

Hg)

, ra

dioa

ctiv

e pa

rtic

les,

and

pha

rmac

eutic

als

Drin

king

Wat

er S

yste

ms

•R

ural

–R

ural

wat

er

syst

ems

–C

iste

rns

–P

rivat

e w

ells

•D

ug w

ells

•D

riven

wel

ls•

Dril

led

wel

ls

Drin

king

Wat

er S

yste

ms

(con

tinue

d)

•M

unic

ipal

–Wat

er tr

eatm

ent

plan

ts a

nd w

ater

to

wer

s

Min

eral

Con

tent

of D

rinki

ng W

ater

•S

ome

min

eral

s en

hanc

e w

ater

qua

lity

•O

ther

s co

ntrib

ute

to b

ad ta

ste

(sul

fur)

or

colo

r (ir

on, c

oppe

r, m

anga

nese

)•

Som

e m

ake

the

wat

er “

hard

” (m

agne

sium

or

cal

cium

)

Reg

ulat

ing

Drin

king

Wat

er

•19

74 S

afe

Drin

king

Wat

er A

ct•

The

EP

A r

egul

ates

con

tam

inan

ts th

at

pres

ent h

ealth

ris

ks•

Max

imum

con

tam

inan

t lev

els

(MC

Ls)

are

set b

y th

e E

PA

•19

96 S

afe

Drin

king

Wat

er a

men

dmen

ts

requ

ire c

omm

uniti

es to

test

drin

king

wat

er

to m

ake

sure

it is

saf

e

MC

Ls

•S

ix c

ateg

orie

s:–

Mic

roor

gani

sms

–D

isin

fect

ants

–D

isin

fect

ion

by-p

rodu

cts

–In

orga

nic

chem

ical

s–

Org

anic

che

mic

als

–R

adio

nucl

ides

Fut

ure

Wat

er S

uppl

y S

trat

egie

s

•T

he h

ydro

logi

c cy

cle

help

s re

stor

e w

ater

su

pplie

s, b

ut n

ot p

rodu

ce n

ew o

nes

•N

o on

e ha

s fo

und

a w

ay t

o ge

nera

te w

ater

w

ithou

t har

min

g so

met

hing

els

e•

The

bes

t str

ateg

y is

to g

et th

e m

ost o

ut o

f ea

ch d

rop

of w

ater

•W

aste

wat

er c

an b

e re

cycl

ed to

mak

e it

drin

kabl

e

Thr

eats

to D

rinki

ng W

ater

Saf

ety

•T

rihal

omet

hane

s (T

HM

s)•

Ant

iqua

ted

mun

icip

al w

ater

sys

tem

s•

Bio

terr

oris

m th

reat

s