762805
Natural and human Factors Affecting our Water
Supply
- The Rising and Falling Water Table
- If more water leaves a watershed
than enters it, a shortage will result.
The usual water levels in lakes and
rivers will start to drop. Below
ground, the level of the water table
will drop as the amount of ground
water decreases.
- If more water fills a watershed
than leaves it, it could result in
floods. When it rains, water
soaks into the ground, filling up
the layers of soil and aquifers. If
more rain occurs, the water will
keep on rising resulting in the
flooding. Flooding can cause the
water to become contaminated.
- Both natural and human
factors can affect our
water supply because of
change in the water
table. The result can be
less water, or too much
water that it becomes
contaminated.
- If more water leaves a watershed
than enters it, a shortage will result.
The usual water levels in lakes and
rivers will start to drop. Below
ground, the level of the water table
will drop as the amount of ground
water decreases.
- Natural Water Table Changes
- Flooding
- Can be brought on by heavy
rainfall, ice-jams, sudden spring
thaws and storms.
- Flash floods are floods that
come without much warning.
They are caused by heavy,
concentrate rainfall such as
the kind you would see
during a thunderstorm.The
rain flows rapidly across
bare ground and paved
surfaces, causing the water
level in storm drains to rise,
overflow and back up.
Surface flooding then
occurs
- Can be brought on by heavy
rainfall, ice-jams, sudden spring
thaws and storms.
- Drought
- Long periods of little or
no precipitation. They
cause watersheds to
lose water and lakes
and rivers to experience
falling water levels.
- The upper surface of
the water table gradually
drops as less ground
water collects.
Communities must
restrict water use during
these drought periods.
- Long periods of little or
no precipitation. They
cause watersheds to
lose water and lakes
and rivers to experience
falling water levels.
- Earthquakes
- Can affect the water table
directly. In areas that are
prone to earthquakes,
scientists have noticed a drop
in the water table by as much
as 1m.
- A disruption
like that in the
water table can
also cause
ground water to
become cloudy,
affecting its
potability.
- Can affect the water table
directly. In areas that are
prone to earthquakes,
scientists have noticed a drop
in the water table by as much
as 1m.
- Flooding
- Human Causes of Water Table
Changes
- Overuse of Wells
- More than 25 percent of
Canadians rely on ground
water for their water needs.
Most of them live in rural
areas.
- The water cycle
naturally recharges
our groundwater
supply.
- An unusually dry summer or a
winter with little snow results in less
water sinking into the ground and
collecting in aquifers.
- Overuse of
wells can
deplete
underground
aquifers, often
for long
periods.
- More than 25 percent of
Canadians rely on ground
water for their water needs.
Most of them live in rural
areas.
- Farming and Industry Practices.
- A reason why many industrial plants
are located beside a river or lake is
that many large scale farms and
industries need immense quantities
of water in their operations. After the
water is used, it is discharged back
into the environment.
- The used water may be discharged directly
into a water body, the atmosphere, a
wastewater drainage system, or a ground
filtration system.
- Sometimes less water is
put back into the natural
system than was
removed.
- Examples of large scale water
use are irrigation, power
generation, and industries
such as pulp and paper
production and mining.
- A particular concern is the oil
sands development in northern
Alberta's Athabasca River basin
is of particular concern because
of the enormous effect it is
having on the supply and quality
of fresh water in the region.
- A reason why many industrial plants
are located beside a river or lake is
that many large scale farms and
industries need immense quantities
of water in their operations. After the
water is used, it is discharged back
into the environment.
- Water Diversion and Export
- The bottled water
industry removes
large quantities of
water from our
water supply. The
majority of
Canada's bottled
water industries
are in Ontario,
Quebec, and
British Columbia.
- Millions of litres of
water are removed
from a variety of
sources. If more water
is removed than
replaced, the height of
the water table will be
affected. Also, water
may be pumped out of
one location and
shipped to another
province or country.
- The bottled water
industry removes
large quantities of
water from our
water supply. The
majority of
Canada's bottled
water industries
are in Ontario,
Quebec, and
British Columbia.
- Overuse of Wells
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