APES ch.
9 -- Module 26: The Availability of Water
Reading Guide for Friedland 3e
Pages 305-312
1. How many years did the migratory behavior of the salmon work before the US Bureau of Reclamation
changed the Klamath River? Answer: This migratory behavior worked well for thousands of years.
2. What did the US BoR do to the Klamath River and why? Answer: In the early 1900s, the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation decided to build canals to drain two large lakes that were the source of the river.
3. Who are the major interest groups competing over the Klamath River, and what does each one want?
Answer: Native Americans, the hydroelectric company, farmers, the commercial fishing industry,
conservationists, and multiple government agencies all debated regional water management policy
from different points of view.
4. How was the conflict over salmon and water in the Klamath River resolved? Answer: In 2002, the
migrating salmon experienced a massive die-off in the Klamath River. This catastrophe was caused by
unusually warm water, the growth of toxic algae in the dammed waters, and diseases. The sight of
30,000 large, dead chinook salmon brought worldwide attention to the river. Nearly 30 interest groups
began meeting in order to find a solution to the river’s complex problems.
5. Read figure 26.1. What percent of all water on the planet is accessible to humans? Answer: The
remainder—less than 3 percent—is fresh water, the type of water that can be consumed by humans.
6. Why are unconfined aquifers more likely to be contaminated than confined aquifers? Answer: This
direct and rapid connection with the surface is one of the reasons waters from unconfined aquifers is
much more likely to be contaminated with chemicals released by human activities. Confined aquifers,
on the other hand, are generally recharged very slowly, perhaps over 10,000 to 20,000 years. For this
reason, water from a confined aquifer is usually much older and less likely to be contaminated by
anthropogenic chemicals than is water from an unconfined aquifer.
7. Why are confined aquifers more likely to be depleted than unconfined aquifers? Answer: Large-scale
use of water from a confined aquifer is unsustainable because the withdrawal of water is not balanced
by recharge.
8. Where is the Ogallala aquifer and what is happening with it? Answer: The Ogallala aquifer, also called
the High Plains aquifer, is the largest in the United States, with a surface area of about 450,000 km2
(175,000 miles2).
9. What causes a zone of depression? Answer: When water is rapidly withdrawn from a well, it can create
an area of that contains no groundwater around the well, which is known as a cone of depression
10. What is the term for an area near the ocean where groundwater pressure has been reduced and salt
water flows into the well? Answer: An infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure
has been reduced from extensive drilling of wells is called saltwater intrusion and it is a common
problem in coastal areas.
11. What process is thought to have formed the Great Lakes? Answer: Lakes can be created by a variety
of processes, including tectonic activity and glaciation. When tectonic activity causes areas of land to
rise up, it can isolate a region of the ocean. Because lakes formed in this way were once part of the
ocean, they have higher salinities than other lakes.
12. When was the “Dust Bowl” and why did it occur? Answer: Topsoil from dust storms traveled as far as
Washington, D.C., and earned the southern Great Plains the nickname of “the Dust Bowl.” The decade
of dust storms and the resulting losses of topsoil led to large-scale human migration out of the region
and impacted the economy of the entire nation. Today, improved farming practices have reduced the
susceptibility of soil to erosion by wind, making major dust storms in the Great Plains and elsewhere
much less likely.
13. How do human activities worsen the risk of flooding in some areas? Answer: Human activities can also
worsen the risk of flooding. In healthy natural areas, porous soil and wetlands soak up excess
rainwater. However, in areas where the soil has been baked hard by drought, water that comes from
heavy rainfalls cannot soak into the ground