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Water Resources
Final Study
22
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 3
12/08/2010

Additional Environmental Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Water Pollution
Definition
the change in water quality that renders it unfit for a given use.
Term
point source pollution
Definition
defined as contamination discharged through a pipe or other discrete, identifiable locations.
Term
non-point source pollution
Definition
generated from broad, diffuse sources that can be very difficult to identify and quantify.
Term
Water Pollutants (8)
Definition
1. oxygen demanding chemicals
2. plant nutrients
3. sediments
4. salts
5. disease causing pathogens
6. synthetic organic chemicals
7. trace inorganic chemicals
8. emerging contaminants
Term
Eutrophication
Definition
the process of a water body moving from low levels to high levels of essential nutrients, with result in a high demand of dissolved oxygen and can create anaerobic conditions.
Nutrients go into water (N,P) -> dead alge (takes up oxygen) -> dead fish
Term
Disease Causing Pathogens
Definition
virus, bacteria, protozoa, cryptosporduim
Term
BOD
Definition
Biochemcial oxygen demand. an index of water quality- it is the amount of oxygen required to biochemically oxidize the organic matter present in water.
Term
Factors that affect soil erosion
Definition
climate, soil, topography, land use
Term
CWA (Clean Water Act)
Definition
1972. the principle law governing pollution of the nation's surface waters.
Term
Designated Water use Categories
Definition
drinking water, aquatic life support, fish consumption, body contact recreation, non-body contact recreation, agricultural use
Term
Water Quality Criteria: Biological integrity
Definition
objective measurements of aqutic biological communities.
Term
Water Quality Criteria: Chemical Data
Definition
measurements of key chemical constituents in water, sediments, and fish tissue. (nitrogen and phosphorus, metals, oils, and pesticides)
Term
Water Quality Criteria: Physical Data
Definition
characteristics of water such as temperature, flow, dissolved oxygen, suspended solids, turbidity, conductivity, and pH.
Term
CWA Two major parts
Definition
1. provisions that authorize federal financial assistance for municipal sewage treatment plant construction.
2. the other is the regulatory requirements that apply to industrial and municipal discharges.
Term
BPT & BAT
Definition
Best practicable control technology (clean up waste discharges)
Best Available Technology (focus on toxic substances)
Term
Determinant Factors to Environmental Quality
Definition
Source-> transport-> transformation-> impact
Term
Source
Definition
emissions(air), application-agrichemicals(land, water), discharge- municipal or industrial(water), disposal-landfill(land), leak-unintended discharge(land, air, water),inherent natural source(land).
Term
Transport
Definition
can be transported by mass flow(convection) and diffusion
Term
Siltation
Definition
the leading pollution of nation's rivers and streams.
Term
Leading Sources of pollution in rivers and streams
Definition
siltation, nutrients, bacteria, organic matter, pesticide, habitat, suspended solids, metals.
Term
leading pollutants in lakes, reservoirs, and ponds
Definition
nutrients, metals, siltation, organic matter, noxious aquatic plants, suspended solids, toxic chemicals.
Term
TMDL (total maximum daily loads)
Definition
defines how much of a pollutant a waterbody (ambient, not the discharge water) can tolerate daily and still. it is a planning process that will lead to the goal of meeting the water quality standards. comply with applicable water quality standards.
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