Earth’s Water Lessons 4 & 5

Lesson 4 Freshwater Wetlands

Think About It… What would happen if all of our coastal wetlands were filled in for homes and hotels?

Focus Question… Why are wetlands important? What factors affect and degrade wetlands and estuaries?

Freshwater Wetlands… Add to notes! A wetland is… o land that is soaked with water Three examples of wetlands are… a.bogs b.marshes c.swamps Boardwalk at Bethabara Park Our very own wetlands!

Bogs… 1. A bog is a water- soaked area with poor drainage. Water in a bog comes from… o Precipitation (rain) 2. The soil in a bog is acidic because… o of decaying moss o slows bacterial growth & prevents nitrogen (N) recycling. A bog in Alabama

Bogs… 3. Interesting plants that live in a bog are the… o Venus fly trap o Sun dew o Pitcher plants These plants are carnivorous b/c of nutrient-poor soil of the bog. They must digest insects to obtain nitrogen.

Marshes … 1.A marsh is a water- soaked area at the mouth of streams. Fresh water marshes and estuaries often form… o Where a river enters a lake or sea 3. Marsh grasses have shallow roots that … o anchor silt and mud deposits in a delta. (Builds land!) Brackish marsh near Wanchese, NC 2. An estuary is a marsh on the coast where fresh and salt water mix.

A Marsh in N. Florida

Marshes… 4. Plants found in a marsh include… o Grasses o Reeds o Sedges o Rushes These plants provide shelter and food for aquatic larva. Marsh with distributary streams at Wrightsville Beach, NC

Swamps… 1. A swamp is… o a low-lying area near a stream Swamps may develop from marshes that have filled in to support the growth of shrubs and trees. Congaree National Park, SC

Congaree NP, SC Our very own swamp!

Water Lily in Bok Tower Gardens, Orlando, FL …

Swamps… 2. Trees that grow in a swamp include… o mangrove trees o cypress trees Mangroves in Biscayne National Park, FL Bald Cypress Trees in Florida

Remember Coal Formation? Swampy plants… If a swamp were to be buried under tons of sediment…coal might form!

Environmental Issues: A Loss of Habitat… 1. Two valuable functions of wetlands … o the filtering of water o providing a habitat for migrating birds and fish fry (fish babies!) 2. What % of our wetlands were lost from the late 1700s to mid- 1980s? o 50 % o Why? Snow Geese in Prince William Sound

Environmental Issues: Upstream Drought… 3. A drought upstream … o … will lead to less fresh water entering the estuary and… o … saltier water

Environmental Issues: Saltwater Intrusion… 4. Overused wells in coastal areas … o … may draw up salt water from the ocean and … o … cause the water to become undrinkable.

Saltwater Intrusion An artesian well next to the Intercoastal Waterway in Florida is prone to saltwater intrusion.

Three Ways to Preserve Wetlands… Education Conservation Regulation

Lesson 5 Use, Abuse, and Conservation of Water Resources

Review Only! Water Use: The Importance of Water 1.Four important uses of freshwater… Agriculture, transportation, recreation, drinking!

The Importance of Water… 1. Eastern states get the most precipitation. a.Eastern states - cooling, energy production, and manufacturing. b.Western states - irrigation 2. Withdrawal rates of freshwater are increasing each year because… … our population is growing!

Western states, such as California, use more water for growing their crops…

Use of Water in the USA…

Managing Freshwater Resources 1.The source of our water here is the… The Yadkin PeeDee River 2.Desalination is removing salt from seawater to make freshwater. It is not practical due to high costs. See next slide…

Desalination…

Water Pollution: Types of Pollution 1.Point sources … …have a single point of origin (often through a pipe) …Three examples include (but aren’t limited to)… 1.sewage 2.spills 3.Industry Drainage into the Ohio River

Coal-burning Power Plant – Jacksonville, FL Coal ash pollution from power plants is a primary source of arsenic in the water.

Water Pollution: Types of Pollution… 2. Nonpoint sources … … come from widely spread areas & can’t be identified & cleaned up easily. … Two examples include (but aren’t limited to)… a.Sedimentation is caused by runoff from a deforested area. It “muddies” the water & requires more energy to filter out of drinking water. b.Stormwater runoff pollutes water with bacteria from sewage & chemicals from parking lots, roads, & development.

Stormwater Runoff in Myrtle Beach, SC

3. Add to notes! Clean up… Surface water is more easily polluted than groundwater but easier to clean up.

Evaluating Water Quality in NC Streams… 1.Where in a stream is water quality the poorest? … at the mouth b/c the river picks up pollution along its way to the sea … The Yadkin PeeDee River is cleanest at the headwaters near Blowing Rock, NC and most polluted at its mouth at Winyah Bay, SC.

Evaluating Water Quality in NC Streams… 2. What is the source of… a.Phosphates – detergents b.Nitrates – animal wastes & fertilizers c.Arsenic – coal ash & industries such as Alcoa’s aluminum smelting plant

Evaluating Water Quality in NC Streams… 3. Physical Properties of NC Streams include… temperature, turbidity (muddiness), and pH. a.Temperature is measured by thermometers. b.Turbidity is measured using turbidity charts.

Evaluating Water Quality in NC Streams… 4. The biotic index is a method that uses types of organisms to determine water quality. ata-Biotic.pdf ata-Biotic.pdf a.It is used… Count number of organisms within 4 groups with varying sensitivities to pollution. b.Organisms on the index include… insect larva, crawfish, mussels/clams, leeches, snails.

The Biotic Index

Water Conservation 1.How can we keep our river basin clean? 2.Community Water Conservation… a.Farmers can use irrigation techniques like trickle irrigation to save water. b.Industries can use recycled or gray water to save water. 3. Personal Conservation: How can you and I conserve water in our homes and yards?

A sign seen in the restroom in Monterey Bay, CA! California has a desperate lack of fresh water.

Lesson 5 Video Clip… The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water Surfrider.org