STS 11

PEOPLE AND THE

EARTH’S
ECOSYSTEM
Course Title
STS 11 PEOPLE AND EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM
Course Learning Objectives
1. Introduce the students to the ways that humans have altered and
modified the natural environment throughout history
2. Trace the causes of environmental degradation
3. Determine the impacts of various anthropogenic activities on
different aspects of the natural environment
4. Analyze the impacts of human-modified environments on human
activities
5. Project future scenarios for various aspects of the natural
environment

Module 6
Human Impact on Water
Module Objectives/Outcomes
1. Consider the various ways that humans have deliberately
modified river systems
2. Consider how stream flows and lake levels have changed due to
land cover changes
3. Discuss the impacts of water abstraction on groundwater levels
4. Discuss the various ways human activities have changed water
quality.
5. Analyze how oceans and seas are modified by pollution.
Introduction
Water is an important natural resource. Human is doing their best using various ways to seize
control of the water systems. However, ways humans employed deliberately modify different
water systems like creating dams, reservoirs, embankments, and river channelization. In return,
water quality was compromised and was even exacerbated because of severe land cover
changes and the pressing pollution. We will learn in this module the different ways how
human-altered waterways and their effects on the environment.

Lesson 1: Human Impact on Water

Before you proceed, kindly answer the activity and analysis.

Activity

What is the importance of water?

Abstraction

Deliberate Modification of Rivers

Water quantity and quality in rivers
and streams change because of
human manipulation. River systems
are modified by manipulating river
channels, modification of basin
characteristics, urbanization, and
pollution.
A long time ago, like in Egypt around
5000 years ago, dams and reservoirs
were already built. This technique
become widespread not just because
Figure 1. Angat Dam in Luzon.
it improved reliable water resources
but as well becomes useful in
agriculture, flood prevention, and power generation. Several countries were using the
technique and billions of cubic meters of water are impounded worldwide.
Despite the advantages of dams, they also brought tremendous consequences to the
environment. It causes subsidence, earthquake triggering, a hindrance to transmission and
expansion in the range of organisms, inhibition of fish migration, build-up of soil salinity, change
in ground-water levels, and water-logging. It may also modify sources of sediment and sand
transport path. Some sands are accumulated in reservoirs leading to reduced flood-deposited
nutrients in the field. Flood-deposited nutrients were useful to agricultural farming. This also
affects the availability of nutrients for fish. Dams may also accelerate river bed erosion.
River manipulation such as building embankment
dikes, levées, and floodwalls are made to confine
floodwaters including improving the ability of
channels to especially transmit floods. Rivers are
either enlarge to increase capacity through
straightening, widening, deepening, or
smoothing. Most of the rivers especially along
urban areas were already lined up with
embankments.

Similar to dams, river embankments also create

Pasig River embankment. environmental problems. It can reduce the
natural storage of floodwater and could also
exacerbate flood problems. It can also obstruct soil water movement (interflow) and shallow
groundwater flow. The diversity of habitats in natural meandering channels may be reduced as
well because of the straitening of channels.

Channelization which may have either faster or slower speed can affect the diversity of fauna in
the river. Increased velocities of water flow can reduce available shelter and nutrient inputs.
Interbasin transfer of river especially leading to dams, may also result in the unequal spatial
distribution of water. Dredging can also change the configurations of water currents, the rates
of freshwater drainage and may provide avenues for salt intrusion.

Urbanization

Urbanization has also impacted hydrology

because of controlled rates of erosion and
the delivery of pollutants to rivers.
Generally, urbanization affects flood runoff
due to extended impermeable pavements.
In rural areas, floods are gradually
penetrating the ground or soil. In urban
areas, runoff is also generated because of
low vegetation densities, meaning very
limited evapotranspiration.
Figure 2. Urban flooding.

To reduce and delay urban floods, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) technique had
been developed. SUDS uses features such as soakaways or infiltration basins, permeable
pavements, grassed swales or vegetated filter strips, infiltration trenches, ponds (detention and
retention basins), and wetlands to reduce floods.

The flood control system in Metro Manila.

Vegetation modification and its effect on river flow

Deforestation will certainly result in tremendous flooding during heavy rainfall. The presence of
vegetation is very important to maintain the quality and quantity of the water. Vegetation
cover especially those composed of mature trees can reduce the rates of overland flow. The
mature forest has higher rainfall interception rates and generates soil with higher infiltration
capacity and better general structures. These characteristics of the forest considerably reduced
the overall runoff levels and extreme floods. Deforested areas may undergo regeneration later
on but the substitute forest will no longer produce a similar effect to the previous mature
forests.

The infiltration capacities of soil with water runoff are also affected by so many human
activities. Livestock grazing and trampling, off-road vehicular movements, and grassland
replacement with shrubland caused soil compaction.

Human Impact on lakes

Modification of river systems can affect lakes. Lakes serve as catch basins on rivers and streams.
Reduction of water quantity from diverted river systems and abstraction of water for irrigations
may reduce the level of the water in the lake and may increase the salinity. Several known lakes
in the world now are experiencing change primarily due to activities associated with humans.

Water pollution

Water pollution can cause disease transmission through infection; it may poison humans and
animals; it may create objectionable odors and unsightliness; it may be the cause of the
unsatisfactory quality even of treated water; it may cause the eutrophication of water bodies,
and it may affect economic activities like shellfish culture. Agriculture, fire, urbanization,
industries, mining, and irrigation can affect water quality.

Below are human activities which also cause water pollution:

1. sewage and other oxygen-demanding wastes;
2. infectious agents;
3. organic chemicals;
4. other chemical and mineral substances;
5. sediments (turbidity);
6. radioactive substances;
7. heat (thermal pollution)-increasing temperature

Water pollution can be categorized as points such as municipal and industrial waste and non-
point or diffuse waste. Municipal waste is composed of household waste materials. Non-point
pollutants are coming from wide sources like agricultural areas. Chemical pollutants from
agricultural areas may enter the river system and percolate underground. There are three main
classes of chemical pollutants: nitrates and phosphates; metals; and synthetic and industrial
organic pollutants.

Application
 1. Describe how human-modified our water systems?
2. Kindly draw how humans destroy our rivers and oceans. Give a brief explanation of your
drawing. To give you insights, try to search the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Closure
Congratulations on completing the modules.