Movement of Fresh Water…back of 90

Movement of Water…back of 901. What is a river basin?2. What is a water shed?3. What is a wetland?4. What is the function of a

wetland?5. What is an estuary?6. Why are estuaries

considered “nurseries” for fish?

Copy each question on the left hand side of your paper, skip about 3 lines between each question.

Finish your assignment on River Basins using the booklet in front of you

River Basins and Water Sheds

• What is the difference between a watershed and a river basin?• Both terms describe land that drains into a river, stream or lake

• River Basin: An area that drains into a large river• Watershed: An area that drains into a smaller river or stream

Cape Fear River Basin - NC

Watershed

River Basins and Water Sheds

• Larger river basins are made up of many interconnected watersheds

• The water in a watershed runs to the lowest point—a river, stream, lake, or ocean

River vs. Stream Neuse River Ferrisberg, NC

Other Surface Waters• What is a wetland?

• An area where the water is above the land and supports plant growth

• What are the types of wetlands?• Swamps, bogs, and marshes

• What are the functions of wetlands?• Regulate water flow• Filter nutrients• Provide flood control

Great Dismal Swamp - NC

Bogs and Marshes

Bog Marsh

EstuariesEstuary: an area where fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from the ocean.

**1**

Coastal Ocean

Estuary

River

Schematic of a typical Estuary

Filtering System

• Estuaries clean our dirty rivers!• Sediment and Pollutants

• Some estuaries are actually salt marshes.

• These plants and mud take up some of the sediments and pollutants!

very fresh

quite sa

lty

Chesapeake Bay

What does an estuary look like from the air?

Protective Environment• Why are estuaries called “nurseries”?…

• Eggs and small fish are safe from ocean predators

• The waters are calmer and more nutrient rich

Resting and Breeding Ground

• Birds depend on the estuary for resting and feeding

• Lots to eat

• Crabs, worms, clams, and more live in the muddy areas.

Permeable and Impermeable

Vocabulary… 92

Impermeable vs Permeable…92(Draw 2 vocabulary boxes)

PERMEABLEMaterial that allows liquids to flow through

SandGravelRocks

IMPERMEABLE Material that does not allow liquids to flow through

GLASSGRANITEPLASTIC

This part of the powerpoint shows the notes for water pollution problems in NC

The handout is two sided, you may tape it to page 93 when you are finished.

Water Pollution in NC…

Point Source Non Point Source

Excess nutrients Eutrophication

Point Sources

• Pollution that enters the water from a known source• Ex. Factories, septic tanks, wastewater treatments plant

Non-Point Source

• Pollution from sources that are hard to find or are scattered• Ex. Runoff from farms, construction sites, or golf courses

Pollution

Excess Nutrients

• Nitrogen and Phosphorus• Excess nutrients come from sewage systems, septic tanks, fertilizer• 80% of excess nutrients are caused by humans

Eutrophication

• Caused by high levels of nutrients in a lake/pond• Excess nutrients causes algae to grow and die• The bacteria decomposing the algae uses all the oxygen• Kills fish• Turns into a meadow

Hog Farms• Hog population has

increased• More hogs = more waste• SOME waste can be used

for fertilizer, but the concern is how to get rid of the other waste?

Lagoons??

Lagoons

• Large holes in the ground that are used to store and treat hog waste• They may leak excess nutrients and harmful bacteria

Pfiesteria

• Fish become lethargic and develop sores on their bodies• Caused by warm water and high nutrient levels

Physical Indicators…921. Temperature-as temperature increases, oxygen decreases2. Dissolved Oxygen - too low=stressed fish3. pH-identifies if it is acid, base, or neutral4. Turbidity-how dirty or clean water is

high turbidity =dirty waterlow turbidity = clean water

* Dirty water can block the sunlight from the plants at the bottom of the water.*Dirty water can also clog the gills of an animal

Bio-Indicators• Organisms that are used to assess an ecosystem• Looking at the health of the species living in the water can

help us determine the health of the water system• Ex. trout – very sensitive species, the presence of trout

indicate a healthy body of water.

“Healthy” Water = moderate to cool temperatures, high dissolved oxygen, neutral

pH, low turbidity