Human Activity and Ground Water How does human activity change our water systems?

What is groundwater? Water that is found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock. Half of everyone in the United States gets their water from groundwater Groundwater comes from rain, snow, sleet, and hail that soaks into the ground Groundwater is stored in the ground in materials like gravel and sand

Aquifers A body of porous rocks that allows water to saturate and easily flow through An underground “storehouse” of water

What is a Watershed? A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same location

What affects watersheds? Natural Events: Storms, fires and droughts can suddenly alter watershed conditions Human activity: Point source pollution is pollution that can be traced to a specific point such as a disposal site or leaking pipe. Nonpoint source pollution occurs when pollutants are found in water running off of areas such as parking lots or crop lands Reduction of the amount of water flowing within a watershed About 40 percent of the lakes in the United States are not clean enough to be used by humans

human impact on groundwater Overuse: groundwater is often withdrawn for agricultural, municipal and industrial purposes. Pollution: contaminants released to the ground that work their way down into groundwater Misuse of fertilizers or manure Leakage from underground storage containers and landfills Run-off from urban areas Construction sites Parking lots

Texas water issues Rangelands are the major source of water for human use Availability is directly related to the amount & intensity of rainfall Typically, below EPA standards for water quality Traditionally managed for wildlife, livestock, and environmental impact, but not water use Please refer to: http://www.texaswatermatters.org/ http://texnat.tamu.edu/files/2010/11/series3.pdf

Texas water issues continued Water demand currently exceeds supply in many areas Population is expected to double by 2050 - water use will continue to increase May cause changes in water law and private and public property rights

Texas Water Issues continued Sixteen regional citizen water planning groups have been organized to implement planning and management of water resources Many endangered species require specific habitats that are affected by such management May impact wetlands and riparian zones which serve as filter strips for water entering lakes and streams

How Does nature clean water? When water soaks into the ground it moves through soil and rock. The tightly packed particles that make up the soil filter out impurities. Certain ecosystems, such as wetlands, are especially good natural filters, absorbing excess nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorous from the water.

What pore space looks like 1 2 3 White areas are pore space, Which box has the most pore space? Which box has the least pore space?

How have we protected our water? The Clean Water Act (CWA): Regulates discharges of pollutants into waters Sets wastewater standards for industry Sets water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters