Water Supply and Water Users Water one of the most fascinating compounds on earth necessary...
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Transcript of Water Supply and Water Users Water one of the most fascinating compounds on earth necessary...
Water• one of the most fascinating
compounds on earth
• necessary ingredient for all living organisms
Water• covers about 70% of the
earth of the earth’s surface
• 340 million cubic miles of water on the planet
The water cycle• the amount of water on and
around this planet is fairly constant
• availability of water is not as constant
The water cycle• water is continuously moving
from place to place
• the water cycle is called the hydrologic cycle
The water cycle• powered by solar energy
• heats the water causing it to rise into the atmosphere
• called evaporation
The water cycle• water eventually returns to
the ocean in the form of rain, sleet or snow
• returned water is called meteoric water
The water cycle• if the oceans were not
recharged, their water level would decrease over 40 inches per year
The water cycle• the oceans are the largest
reservoir of water we know
• this water is unsuitable for drinking, agricultural use, or industrial use because of the high salt content
The water cycle• the salt is left behind when
the ocean water evaporates
• once the water has evaporated, it forms clouds
The water cycle• the water then comes back to
the earth as rain, sleet or snow
• clouds may drop water over land or over the ocean
The water cycle• rainwater accounts for only
1% of the total water supply
• rain is vital in keeping the water balance on earth
The water cycle• role of plants and animals in the
cycle
• plants absorb water through their roots and release it through tiny pores in their leaves called stomates
The water cycle• evaporation of water from plants
is called transpiration
• animals also need water for their growth
• promotes chemical activity, regulates temperature
The water cycle• and transports nutrients
through the blood of animals
• 65% of an animals weight is water
The water cycle• surface water
• about 30% of the rainfall in the US falls into out lakes, ponds and streams
The water cycle• this surface water is the most
important element to the conservationist
• used by people over and over as it makes its way toward the ocean
Three zones• surface - dry soil accepts water
until saturated
• zone of aeration - empty spaces filled with air, extends from the deepest roots to just above the water table
Three zones• groundwater zone - below zone
of aeration
• water saturated rocks called aquifers
• can equal about 100 years of surface runoff volume
Main components• oceans
• evaporation - transpiration
• plants and animals
• surface water
• ground water
Water users• variation in population densities
• U.S. Population drinks about 100 million gallons of water per day
• only a fraction of water used
Water users• agriculture
• industry
• hydroelectric plants
• fish and wildlife
• recreational and domestic
Agriculture• main use is irrigation
• most common methods include:
• surface and sprinkler techniques
Industry• uses more water than any other
raw material
• only a small part of the water is actually consumed
• used as a medium for other processes
Industry• canning - water is used to clean
product and the containers
• cool ovens
• boil the product
• wash away wastes
Industry• may become part of the product• most water is recycled or
returned to the natural water cycle in a drainage ditch or stream
Industry• paper is made in water
• industry draws about 40 billion gallons of water per day
• water supply - major factor in location of industry
Hydroelectric plants• major use of water
• US leads the world in hydroelectric power
• supplies only a small portion of our needs
Hydroelectric Plants• concern is with damming of
rivers
• fish runs are interrupted
• habitat is changed
• puts wildlife in danger
Fish and Wildlife• the way water is handled
affects the fish in the water and the wildlife around the water
Fish and Wildlife• land wildlife, inland birds,
waterfowl
• different species require different types of water
Recreation• boating, water skiing, fishing,
sailing and swimming
• Swimming pools - require a lot of water to keep them in compliance with health regs.
Domestic Uses• cooking
• baths or showers
• carry away wastes
• Each American uses more water than any other person in the world
Domestic Uses• In the US each person uses
approximately 150 gallons of water per day
• bath - 3-40 gallons
• shower - 5 gallons per minute
Domestic Uses• Wash clothes - 30 gallons
• flush the toilet - 3 gallons
• water the lawn and garden, wash cars
• fire protection