Exam 13: Water Resources

Many aquifers, including the Ogallala aquifer, were formed thousands of years of years ago.Many of these aquifers are either very slowing recharged, or cannot be recharged.Should removal of this water be treated in the same fashion as mining other resources? What steps should be taken to control the removal of a nonrenewable resource such as this?

Saudi Arabia intends to stop producing wheat by 2016 because of depletion of its major deep aquifers.

There are four major problems associated with the use of the Colorado River's water.Which one of the following is not one of those problems?

The southern part of the Aral Sea has lost 90% of its volume of water, destroying wetlands and eliminating large numbers of bird and mammal species.

Most governments subsidize the cost of water.Should government subsidies be phased out so that the full cost of water is borne by the user? Why or why not?

About ____________________% of the irrigation water applied throughout the world does not reach the targeted crops.

Desalination produces large amounts of wastewater that contains lots of ____________________, which can not be dumped into nearby oceans.

The land from which surface water drains into a particular lake, river, or other body of water is called

Which of the following is not one of the solutions for water waste?

Freshwater is a very tiny fraction of all the earth's water supply.Even so, the United States, the largest user of freshwater, has very few controls on how water is transported or used.We also subsidize water costs in order to keep them low, which encourages use rather than conservation.Should the U.S.begin to move toward controls on water? What controls would you prefer to be instituted?

All of the following are proposals for improving desalinization except one. Chose the one that is not a proposal.

Approximately 30% of irrigation water applied throughout the world does not reach the targeted crops.

Emerging shortages of water for drinking and irrigation in many parts of the world is one of the three most serious environmental problems the world faces during this century.

The largest single use of domestic water in the United States is ____________________.

What percentage of the world's reliable surface runoff is currently being withdrawn?

Aquifers provide drinking water for how much of the world's population?

The Aral Sea Disaster Case Study is a classic example of unintended consequences.Summarize the events leading to the current situation and suggest what you think may be in the future for the sea.

The United States is the world's largest user of water.

Which of the following is false?

Most of the water in the Colorado River comes from which of the following sources?