Freshwater and Society

Freshwater and Society

Module 1, part A

Developed by: Svendsen Updated: 12-2003 U1-m1a-s2

Content of module 1

Beneficial uses of water Hydrologic cycle History of watershed science Watersheds Human impacts and impairment of water

resources


What are the resources?

More than 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams (including intermittent streams)

www.noaa.gov/str-plan/images/river.gif



Approximately 40 million acres of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs

The area of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in the United States converts to about 62,500 square miles An area larger than

many individual states such as Illinois, Georgia, or New York

http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/world/new_world/new_world1.html


5,382 miles of Great Lakes shoreline


http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/


More than 277 million acres of wetlands such as marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens, including 170 million acres of wetlands in Alaska


http://www.in.gov/dnr/soilcons/programs/iwcp/plan/ http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/hab/science/tcwp/graphics/mcmilan.jpg

http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/dslcomplex/mantles.htm


How do people use freshwater resources?

Beneficial uses of water

http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/circ/circ1156/circ1156.4D.html


Aquatic life and wildlife support Fish/shellfish consumption Drinking water supply Recreation Agriculture Transportation Industrial

Beneficial uses: Summary


Beneficial uses: Aquatic life and wildlife support

The waterbody provides suitable habitat for survival and reproduction of desirable fish, shellfish, and other aquatic organisms

http://www.pnl.gov/breakthroughs/images/fall02/fish.jpg

Don Breneman


The water body supports populations that do not pose a human health risk to consumers: Fish free from contaminants Shellfish free from toxicants and pathogens

Beneficial uses: Fish and shellfish consumption

http://seagrant.umn.edu/pubs/vgl/com3.html http://hawaii.gov/health/eh/food/


http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/

Beneficial uses: Drinking water supply

The water body can supply safe drinking water with conventional treatment

Consider possible negative impacts of this beneficial use: May greatly reduce water

quantity in rivers, lakes and groundwater

Rivers and streams may be dammed to store water for dry seasons

Groundwater retrieval may create saltwater intrusions in coastal areas


Beneficial uses: Recreation

Primary contact recreation - Swimming People can swim in the

waterbody without risk of adverse human health effects (such as catching waterborne diseases from raw sewage contamination)

Secondary contact recreation People can perform activities

on the water (such as canoeing) without risk of adverse human health effects from occasional contact with the water

http://www.recreation.gov/FWSimgs/

http://www.recreation.gov/USACEimgs/


Beneficial uses: Agriculture

Agriculture The water quality is suitable for irrigating fields or

watering livestock

http://www.florence.ars.usda.gov/kidsonly/element/dirtcp3.jpg

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/jul02/k4117-15i.jpg


Other beneficial uses

Landscaping Power generation Industrial processing and/or cooling

http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/wsd/wateruse/images/sprinkler.jpghttp://www.seagrant.umn.edu/pubs/vgl/medium/168.jpg


Beneficial uses: Water use and management

Beneficial uses are driven by societal values Vary geographically due

to numerous characteristics

Vary over time Governs the science

and administration of water quality Guides water quality

assessment and monitoring

Results in water quality classifications

http://www.hanford.gov/docs/annualrp00/graphics/public.jpg


Beneficial uses:

Water quality for the beneficial uses can be degraded by human actions or natural events

The US Environmental Protection Agency is a major federal agency responsible for monitoring and assessing water quality


Beneficial uses: Monitoring program questions

What is the overall quality of waters in the State? To what extent is water quality changing over

time? What are the problem areas and areas needing

protection? The State must identify impaired waters. The State should also identify waters that are

currently of high quality and should be protected from degradation

What level of protection is needed? How effective are clean water projects and

programs?


Beneficial uses: Five levels of water use

1. Fully supporting overall use All designated beneficial uses are fully supported

2. Threatened overall use One or more designated beneficial uses are threatened

and the remaining uses are fully supported

3. Partially supporting overall use One or more designated beneficial uses are partially

supported and the remaining uses are fully supported


Beneficial uses: Five levels of water use

4. Not supporting overall use One or more designated beneficial uses are not

supported

5. Not attainable The State has performed a use-attainability study

and documented that use support of one or more designated beneficial uses is not achievable due to natural conditions or human activity that cannot be reversed without imposing widespread economic and social impacts


Introduction to the hydrologic cycle Brief history of the hydrologic cycle

The hydrologic cycle: Understanding the context


The hydrological cycle: What is it?


•http://www.in.gov/idem/water/kids/waterpix/watercycleimage2.gif

The hydrologic cycle: Active model


The hydrologic cycle: Water cycle active model

The water cycle includes: Precipitation events: rain, fog,

mist, snow Infiltration and ground and

surface water flow events with eventual discharge into creeks and rivers

Intercepting this process is the vegetation process of root adsorption

Water enters back into the atmosphere in the form of water vapors through transpiration (plants) and evapotransporation (water bodies)

Vapors condense, form clouds, and result in another precipitation event


The hydrologic cycle: 1955 historical


The hydrologic cycle: Global water balance


The hydrologic cycle: Global cycle

http://www.unesco.org/science/waterday2000/Cycle.htm





http://www.dkrz.de/dkrz/broschuere-eng/research/water.html


History of hydrologic cycle and watersheds

900 B.C. - The Chinese develop the concept of the hydrological cycle. Had no influence on Western thought

400-300 B.C. - Aristotle & Plato described some portions of the water cycle, but believed rivers arose from deep, dark, cold caves, where air was transformed into water

1215 - Louis VI of France issued decree on water and forests

1342 - Switzerland community beginning of an era on forest protection

1500’s - Paulini brothers of Venice accounted correctly for the silting and flooding of the lagoons

1563 - Bernard Palissy of France published a correct version of the hydrological cycle


History of hydrologic cycle and watersheds

1670’s - Pierre Perrault measured and correctly accounted for the major elements of the hydrological cycle; precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, and discharge of the Seine River Basin

1864 - George Perkins Marsh wrote a book called Man and Nature focusing on the effects of deforestation

1874 - New York State report to legislature outlining the negative effects of deforestation: ...”creating vast areas of

naked rock, arid sand and gravel unable to retain the bounty of clouds. Streams that now flow icy cold will flow exposed to the sun, heated and impure.”

1890’s - First forest research efforts appear

1910 - Forest watershed research begins

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Freshwater and Society