SVSU Geography 101 ch. 5 (unit 2)
Earth's oceans possess a. ninety-seven percent of Earth's waters. b. most of the fresh water on Earth. c. most of Earth's salt water, but only a tiny proportion of Earth's overall water supply. d. about the same amount of water as is in the atmosphere. e. fifty percent of Earth's waters.
a
The High Plains aquifer a. is North America's largest known aquifer system. b. has been recharging at a rate faster than withdraw over the past two decades. c. is also known as the Garber-Wellington Aquifer. d. has little importance as a freshwater resource. e. was not heavily mined until the 1960s.
a
The downslope, unchannelized flow of water across the surface is known as a. overland flow. b. stem flow. c. evapotranspiration. d. infiltration. e. throughfall.
a
The largest practical potential source of fresh water in the world is a. groundwater. b. stream discharge. c. lakes. d. soil moisture. e. ice sheets and glaciers.
a
Water moves downward through the soil in a process called a. percolation. b. transpiration. c. overland flow. d. runoff. e. throughfall.
a
Which of the following is not a factor scientists attribute to climate change and water resource issues of the Colorado River basin? a. summer shift of the ITCZ to the American Southwest b. higher evaporation rates c. early spring snow melts d. expansion of the subtropical dry zone e. reduced mountain snowpack
a
________ occurs when precipitation lands on vegetation or other land cover before reaching the surface. a. Interception b. Infiltration c. Surface runoff d. Overland flow e. Transpiration
a
the actual amount of evaporation and transpiration that occurs; derived in the water balance by subtracting the deficit (DEFIC) from potential evapotranspiration (POTET).
actual evapotranspiration
A body of rock that conducts groundwater in usable amounts; a permeable rock layer.
aquifer
Pressurized gro-undwater that rises in a well or a rock structure above the local water table; may flow out onto the ground without pumping.
artesian well
Groundwater begins as a. soil moisture. b. surplus water that percolates downward below the surface. c. lakes that are slowly buried by impermeable materials. d. stream discharge. e. outgas materials from Earth's crust.
b
Potential evapotranspiration refers to a. the amount of water that returns to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. b. the amount of evapotranspiration that would occur if available water was not limited. c. a precise measurement of evapotranspiration using a lysimeter. d. the amount of evapotranspiration measured from an evaporation pan. e. the average amount of evapotranspiration over an area per unit time.
b
Precipitation that falls directly to the ground is known as a. stem flow. b. throughfall. c. overland flow. d. infiltration. e. transpiration
b
Where the water table intersects the surface, a(n) ________ is created. a. zone of aeration b. spring c. artesian well d. stream e. confined aquifer
b
Which of the following is not a result of the ongoing California drought? a. the succumbing of 12.5 million trees to drought stress b. expansion of agriculture due to longer growing season c. drastically reduced snowpacks d. mandatory reduction in statewide water use e. infestation of forests by beetles and disease
b
Which of the following is true of evapotranspiration in North America? a. The highest amounts are occur in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. b. The lowest amounts occur in northern Canada. c. The highest amounts are occur in southern Texas and southern Florida. d. The lowest amounts occur in the Southwest and southern Texas. e. The highest amounts are occur in the Midwest.
b
Which of the following is true of precipitation in North America? a. The lowest amounts are received near Hudson Bay in north-central Canada. b. The highest amounts occur in the Southeast, extreme South, and Pacific Northwest. c. The lowest amounts occur in the Gulf of Mexico region. d. The lowest amounts are received in the Midwest. e. The highest amounts occur in the Southwest and Midwest.
b
Much of Earth's water supply likely originated from a. transpiration b. gases expelled from the Sun; i.e., solar wind. c. asteroids. d. photosynthesis. e. respiration of early organisms.
c
Which of the following is true regarding freshwater on Earth? a. Most of it is atmospheric water vapor. b. Most of it is in freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams. c. Most of it is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. d. Most of it is in large lakes. e. Most of it is groundwater.
c
Which of the following is true regarding the hydrologic cycle? a. The cycle relates only to surface water, since the geologic cycle focuses on groundwater resources. b. Geologically speaking, the cycle is a fairly recent phenomenon, having operated in current form for only the past 2,000 years. c. The cycle involves the circulation and transformation of water throughout Earth. d. The atmospheric component of the cycle constitutes a fairly minor portion of the entire hydrologic cycle. e. The cycle is a fairly inconsequential Earth process.
c
A drought defined based on resource shortages is a(n) a. meteorological drought. b. agricultural drought. c. hydrological drought. d. socioeconomic drought. e. climatic drought.
d
Outgassing refers to a. the dynamic equilibrium between surface and ocean water. b. condensation of massive amounts of atmospheric water vapor due to rapidly changing climatic conditions. c. changes in the total amount of water on Earth through evapotranspiration. d. process in which water and water vapor emerge from deep layers within Earth's crust. e. a steady-state equilibrium in the water system caused by cycles of evaporation and condensation.
d
The movement of water into the atmosphere from plants is a. runoff. b. precipitation. c. sublimation. d. transpiration. e. evaporation.
d
What percentage of evaporation occurs over oceans? a. 14 b. 20 c. 78 d. 86 e. 97
d
Which of the following is an example of point source pollution affecting the U.S. surface water supply? a. salt from irrigation b. animal waste captured in runoff c. excess fertilizers from agriculture lands d. waste from a specific factory e. oil and grease from city roads
d
Which of the following is not considered an issue pertaining to water resources in the future? a. Regional drought will increase pressure on groundwater resources. b. Pollution will limit the water-resource base. c. Drought-related stream flow declines may impede hydroelectric production. d. Desalination will exacerbate dwindling freshwater supplies. e. Growing populations will continue to exploit water resources.
d
Why have California's policies to combat the impact of drought on the Sierra snowpack been unsuccessful? a. They focused on forest expansion and replenishment rather than drought stress. b. They focused on restricting water to orchards rather than farmlands. c. They focused on beetle infestation and disease rather than drought stress. d. They focused on residential rather than agricultural water usage. e. They focused on employment of seasonal workers rather than employee benefits.
d
In a water resources context, the removal of organics, debris, and salinity from seawater through distillation or reverse osmosis to produce potable water.
desalination
Does not have a simple water-budget definition; rather, it can occur in at least four forms: meteorological drought, agricultural drought, hydrologic drought, and/or socioeconomic drought.
drought
The largest portion of fresh water today is located in a. clouds. b. groundwater resources. c. swamps. d. the major rivers and lakes of the world. e. ice sheets and glaciers.
e
Which condition may exist in confined aquifers where the water is under pressure? a. local groundwater recharge of the aquifer b. A spring may form. c. drawdown in the well d. The confined aquifer may become an unconfined aquifer. e. Artesian water may rise to the surface in a well.
e
The movement of free water molecules away from a wet surface into air that is less than saturated; the phase change of water to water vapor.
evaporation
Water beneath the surface that is beyond the soil-root zone; a major source of potable water.
groundwater
Pumping an aquifer beyond its capacity to flow and recharge; an overuse of the groundwater resource.
groundwater mining
The subsurface water that is frozen in regions of permafrost. The moisture content of areas with ground ice may vary from nearly 0% in regions of drier permafrost to almost 100% in saturated soils.
groundwater recharge
Pollution of water from non-fixed sources, such as runoff containing fertilizers, pesticides, animal wastes, and oil or road salt. Water moving downslope collects and transports these pollutants before depositing them into rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
nonpoint source
The release of trapped gases from rocks, forced out through cracks, fissures, and volcanoes from within Earth; the terrestrial source of Earth's water.
outgassing
The decline in the water table that occurs when pumping of groundwater exceeds the natural replenishment flow of water into the aquifer or the horizontal flow around the well.
overdraft
Pollution of water from fixed and easily identified sources such as a single pipe, factory, or ship.
point source
the amount of moisture that would evaporate and transpire if adequate moisture were available; it is the amount lost under optimum moisture conditions, the moisture demand.
potential evapotranspiration
Rain, snow, sleet, and hail—the moisture supply; called PRECIP, or P, in the water balance.
precipitation
The ability of the soil to store moisture that percolates into the ground from precipitation and overland flow.
soil-moisture storage capacity
A calculation that determines how the incoming precipitation "supply" is distributed to satisfy the output "demand" of plants, evaporation, and soil-moisture storage.
soil-water budget
Natural features that occur when the water table intersects the surface. In some confined aquifers the water is under pressure, creating an artesian well where water may rise to the surface without pumping.
springs
The flow or volume of water in a channel.
streamflow
The movement of water vapor out through the pores in leaves; the water is drawn by the plant roots from soil-moisture storage.
transpiration
The upper surface of groundwater; that contact point between the zone of saturation and the zone of aeration in an unconfined aquifer.
water table
An excavation into the ground to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The water is pumped or hand-drawn upward to the surface. In some confined artesian aquifers, the water is under pressure, and rises to the surface without pumping.
wells
A zone above the water table that has air in its pore spaces and may or may not have water.
zone of aeration
A groundwater zone below the water table in which all pore spaces are filled with water.
zone of saturation
