4.2 What is inland water?

A life support system… They supply: water for our domestic, agricultural, industrial and recreational use. They provide important habitats for a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic life.

Inland water systems cover a wide range of landforms and environments, such as lakes, rivers, floodplains and wetlands. The water systems may be perennial or ephemeral, flowing (such as rivers), or standing water (such as lakes). perennial describes a stream or river that flows permanently ephemeral describes a stream or river that flows only occasionally, usually after heavy rain (e.g. Todd River, Alice Springs).

4.2.2 Why is inland water important? Inland water provides both the environment and people with fresh water, food and habitats. It provides environmental services; for example, it can filter pollutants, store floodwater and even reduce the impacts of climate change. http://biomes.global2.vic.edu.au/wetlands/ The economic value of these services cannot easily be measured. Their importance, however, can be taken for granted and not appreciated until the services are lost or degraded e.g. wetlands.

4.2.3 What are the threats to inland water? It has been estimated that in the last century over 50 per cent of inland water (excluding lakes and rivers) has been lost in North America, Europe and Australia. Those systems remaining are often polluted and reduced in size. The loss is largely a result of human-induced environmental changes. Table on the next slide illustrates some of the reasons for changes to inland water systems, and their possible impacts on the environment and people.

Complete questions… 1 and 3-5. Handwritten in your binder book. Go to My world atlas task in Jacplus bookshelf. Investigate AC concepts – year 10 Environmental management- Salinity in the Murray Darling Basin. Read the data. Complete the 5 questions. Source: jacplus y10 Geography text, 2017.