Freshwater and Society

1. Freshwater and Society Module 1, part A

2. Content of module 1 • Beneficial uses of water • Hydrologic cycle • History of watershed science • Watersheds • Human impacts and impairment of water resources

3. www.noaa.gov/str-plan/images/river.gif What are the resources? • More than 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams (including intermittent streams)

4. Approximately 40 million acres of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs The area of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in the United States converts to about 62,500 square miles An area larger than many individual states such as Illinois, Georgia, or New York http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/world/new_world/new_world1.html What are the resources?

5. http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/ What are the resources? • 5,382 miles of Great Lakes shoreline

6. http://www.in.gov/dnr/soilcons/programs/iwcp/plan/ http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/hab/science/tcwp/graphics/mcmilan.jpg http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/dslcomplex/mantles.htm What are the resources? • More than 277 million acres of wetlands such as marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens, including 170 million acres of wetlands in Alaska

7. http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/circ/circ1156/circ1156.4D.html Beneficial uses of water • How do people use freshwater resources?

8. Beneficial uses: Summary • Aquatic life and wildlife support • Fish/shellfish consumption • Drinking water supply • Recreation • Agriculture • Transportation • Industrial

9. Don Breneman Beneficial uses: Aquatic life and wildlife support • The waterbody provides suitable habitat for survival and reproduction of desirable fish, shellfish, and other aquatic organisms http://www.pnl.gov/breakthroughs/images/fall02/fish.jpg

10. Beneficial uses: Fish and shellfish consumption • The water body supports populations that do not pose a human health risk to consumers: • Fish free from contaminants • Shellfish free from toxicants and pathogens http://seagrant.umn.edu/pubs/vgl/com3.html http://hawaii.gov/health/eh/food/

11. The water body can supply safe drinking water with conventional treatment Consider possible negative impacts of this beneficial use: May greatly reduce water quantity in rivers, lakes and groundwater Rivers and streams may be dammed to store water for dry seasons Groundwater retrieval may create saltwater intrusions in coastal areas http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/ Beneficial uses: Drinking water supply

12. Primary contact recreation - Swimming People can swim in the waterbody without risk of adverse human health effects (such as catching waterborne diseases from raw sewage contamination) Secondary contact recreation People can perform activities on the water (such as canoeing) without risk of adverse human health effects from occasional contact with the water http://www.recreation.gov/FWSimgs/ http://www.recreation.gov/USACEimgs/ Beneficial uses: Recreation

13. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/jul02/k4117-15i.jpghttp://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/jul02/k4117-15i.jpg http://www.florence.ars.usda.gov/kidsonly/element/dirtcp3.jpg Beneficial uses: Agriculture • Agriculture • The water quality is suitable for irrigating fields or watering livestock

14. http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/wsd/wateruse/images/sprinkler.jpg http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/pubs/vgl/medium/168.jpg Other beneficial uses • Landscaping • Power generation • Industrial processing and/or cooling

15. Beneficial uses are driven by societal values Vary geographically due to numerous characteristics Vary over time Governs the science and administration of water quality Guides water quality assessment and monitoring Results in water quality classifications http://www.hanford.gov/docs/annualrp00/graphics/public.jpg Beneficial uses: Water use and management

16. Beneficial uses: • Water quality for the beneficial uses can be degraded by human actions or natural events • The US Environmental Protection Agency is a major federal agency responsible for monitoring and assessing water quality

17. Beneficial uses: Monitoring program questions • What is the overall quality of waters in the State? • To what extent is water quality changing over time? • What are the problem areas and areas needing protection? • The State must identify impaired waters. • The State should also identify waters that are currently of high quality and should be protected from degradation • What level of protection is needed? • How effective are clean water projects and programs?

18. Fully supporting overall use All designated beneficial uses are fully supported Threatened overall use One or more designated beneficial uses are threatened and the remaining uses are fully supported Partially supporting overall use One or more designated beneficial uses are partially supported and the remaining uses are fully supported Beneficial uses: Five levels of water use

19. Beneficial uses: Five levels of water use • Not supporting overall use • One or more designated beneficial uses are not supported • Not attainable • The State has performed a use-attainability study and documented that use support of one or more designated beneficial uses is not achievable due to natural conditions or human activity that cannot be reversed without imposing widespread economic and social impacts

20. The hydrologic cycle: Understanding the context • Introduction to the hydrologic cycle • Brief history of the hydrologic cycle

21. The hydrological cycle: What is it?

22. http://www.in.gov/idem/water/kids/waterpix/watercycleimage2.gifhttp://www.in.gov/idem/water/kids/waterpix/watercycleimage2.gif The hydrologic cycle: Active model

23. The water cycle includes: Precipitation events: rain, fog, mist, snow Infiltration and ground and surface water flow events with eventual discharge into creeks and rivers Intercepting this process is the vegetation process of root adsorption Water enters back into the atmosphere in the form of water vapors through transpiration (plants) and evapotransporation (water bodies) Vapors condense, form clouds, and result in another precipitation event The hydrologic cycle: Water cycle active model

24. The hydrologic cycle: 1955 historical

25. The hydrologic cycle: Global water balance

26. http://www.unesco.org/science/waterday2000/Cycle.htm The hydrologic cycle: Global cycle

27. The hydrologic cycle: Global water balance

28. http://www.dkrz.de/dkrz/broschuere-eng/research/water.html The hydrologic cycle: Global water balance

29. 900 B.C. - The Chinese develop the concept of the hydrological cycle. Had no influence on Western thought 400-300 B.C. - Aristotle & Plato described some portions of the water cycle, but believed rivers arose from deep, dark, cold caves, where air was transformed into water 1215 - Louis VI of France issued decree on water and forests 1342 - Switzerland community beginning of an era on forest protection 1500’s - Paulini brothers of Venice accounted correctly for the silting and flooding of the lagoons 1563 - Bernard Palissy of France published a correct version of the hydrological cycle History of hydrologic cycle and watersheds

30. 1670’s - Pierre Perrault measured and correctly accounted for the major elements of the hydrological cycle; precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, and discharge of the Seine River Basin 1864 - George Perkins Marsh wrote a book called Man and Nature focusing on the effects of deforestation 1874 - New York State report to legislature outlining the negative effects of deforestation: ...”creating vast areas of naked rock, arid sand and gravel unable to retain the bounty of clouds. Streams that now flow icy cold will flow exposed to the sun, heated and impure.” 1890’s - First forest research efforts appear 1910 - Forest watershed research begins History of hydrologic cycle and watersheds