Posted on 27 May 2011. Tags: river, water conservation
Why Are Rivers Drying Up Around The World?
There are growing amounts of evidence that concern many environmentalists around the world, our major
river systems are drying up. Some scientists blame this phenomenon partially on global climate change, others blame humans.
The Rivers Drying Up Include Major River Basins
Some of the
major river systems with rivers drying up include the Ganges, Nile and Amazon river basins. In the Americas, there is growing concern that the Colorado river basin is drying up too. Paradoxically, some scientists believe that the Mississippi River is swelling and now holds more water than it ever has, another potential victim of climate change.
Rivers Drying Up Significantly Impacts Us
The number of rivers drying up all around the globe is of major concern to us all. Rivers drying up
include the Nile, Congo, Euphrates, Danube, Volga, Amazon, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Rio Grande, and possibly the Colorado. This places these river basins in danger. Researchers have gathered data from over nine hundred rivers over a fifty-year period ending in 2004 that shows a shrunken water flow in each of these river basins.
Are Rivers Drying Up Because of Humans?
Many point to global climate change as the reason for
rivers drying up around the globe, but human influence cannot be ignored.
Humans use water in every part of their lives,
in industry, food production, everywhere. We cannot ignore the impact of our water usage when considering the reasons for rivers drying up. Human population growth causes increased demand for water. We are draining our own rivers.
Can Water Conservation Really Help?
Many feel that
water conservation does not provide much relief to our water issues. This could not be any farther from the truth. If everyone pitched in, we could impact water demand and help our globe in a big way. Rivers drying up is a global issue, one that we can address at home by conserving water whenever we can. We can help by washing only full loads of dishes, using environmentally friendly landscaping, waiting to wash our cars until absolutely necessary, installing low-flow toilets, and shortening our showers. These techniques can all help conserve water and thereby stop our rivers from drying up.
Posted in More About Water
Posted on 26 May 2011. Tags: river
Subterranean Rivers
Underground rivers are ones that flow beneath the surface of the Earth. They can be found flowing through caves or slowly draining through broken rock. Some are man-made, created by burying an above-ground river beneath a city that needs the space it takes up. Underground rivers are as subject to pollution as their above-ground counterparts. Scientists now realize that the layers of soil and rock that cover underground rivers do not protect them from man and his toxins. As the human population grows and mankind uses increasing amounts of water from every source, these rivers are becoming increasingly in danger of depletion.
What Is an Underground River?
An underground, or subterranean, river is just what its name implies. It is a river that flows beneath the surface of the Earth. Some are beautiful waterways accessible to man. They run through cave systems and are covered by domes. In many places in the world, visitors may travel along portions of them in boats. Other rivers slowly find their way through porous rock beneath the surface. They are often connected to aquifers and are regarded as part of the groundwater system that provides the United States with 25% of the water it uses.
Where Are They Located?
Underground rivers are located throughout the world and the U.S. Almost every cave contains a pool of water or a stream that runs through it. One famous example is the Lost River in Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave. Some underground rivers such as the Pittsburgh Underground River have made no cave, but flow through miles of broken rock.
What Are Some Man-Made Artificial Rivers?
Men have created many underground rivers. They usually flow beneath the large cities that have covered them with concrete because there is no longer room for them above ground. These underground rivers become the storm sewers for the city. Fleet River in London is one of the most famous of the man-made rivers.
Are Underground Rivers Subject to Pollution?
People used to think that layers of earth and rock would filter out pollutants before they reached underground rivers. Now scientists realize that these streams are as subject to pollution as any above-ground river. Underground rivers are fed by surface water that drains through sinkholes or porous bedrock. Many geologists and biologists monitor these underground rivers carefully because they can carry pollutants a long way before they resurface or are tapped for drinking water.
What Kinds of Pollutants Are Found in Underground Rivers?
Any man-made pollutants that can be found above ground can pour through sinkholes into underground rivers. Non-point pollutants derived mainly from agricultural activities, such as the application of fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides, easily flow down through layers of soil. Point pollutants from identifiable sources, such as factories and oil tanks, are as readily dumped into underground rivers as they are into above-ground ones.
Are Underground Rivers at Risk of Depletion?
Underground rivers are being depleted at an amazing rate, just as are most aquifers. Their decline is attributed to increased demand by humans who need water for industrial, agricultural, and domestic use.
Posted in More About Water
Posted on 06 May 2011. Tags: biome, environment, freshwater, lake, pollution, pond, river, wetland, zone
The Freshwater Biome
The freshwater biome is one of our most precious ecosystems. It provides us our drinking water and a resource for agriculture, sanitation, industry and food. Forty percent of all known fish species make their home in freshwater. The freshwater biome includes ponds and lakes, streams and rivers, wetlands, reservoirs, and groundwater.
Because freshwater ecosystems are found throughout the world, their climates are highly variable. However, they are quite vulnerable to climate change in general. When water runoff patterns change, or the water temperature increases, the habitat is damaged.
Animal Life in the Freshwater Biome
The freshwater ecosystem is home to a diverse number of lifeforms, including vertebrates like fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals; invertebrates like worms, mollusks and protozoa; algae; plants; and fungi. The base of the biome food chain is composed of zooplankton and phytoplankton.
Many species native to the freshwater biome are in real danger. These include freshwater mussels (two-thirds of the species are endangered and a tenth are extinct), crayfish (half of all crayfish species are endangered), stoneflies (over forty percent are at risk), freshwater fish and amphibians (forty percent of these species are at risk), dragonflies and damselflies (eighteen percent of these species are at risk), and freshwater snails (fifty percent are endangered or extinct).
Plant Life in the Freshwater Biome
Thousands of different plant species live in the freshwater biome. They may live along the edge, like cattails; at the bottom of lakes and ponds; in areas that are only temporarily flooded; in hill and mountain springs; in the flowing water of rivers and streams; or rooted in waterlogged soil. Most aquatic plants are widely distributed across the globe; this is often due to human activity, such as the transportation of seeds or fruit. However, animals also aid in the distribution. Aquatic plants adapt to the water zones mostly by changing their leaf structure. The three basic leaf patterns of aquatic plants are submersed leaves, which are thin, narrow, and highly flexible; floating leaves, which are flexible but firm and leathery to withstand currents; and aerial leaves, which are similar to those of nearby terrestrial plants.
An Ecosystem in Danger
Freshwater rivers and streams are among the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. Rates of endangered and extinct freshwater species are a cause for concern. According to a report by The Nature Conservancy, since European settlers first landed on North America, twenty-one out of the 822 fish species native to America have become extinct. The southeastern United States appears to be the location most at risk. Major threats to the freshwater biome include agricultural and urban runoff, dams and water diversion, the introduction of invasive species, exploitation, climate change, and pollution.
Posted in Water and the Environment
Posted on 04 May 2011. Tags: contaminated water, environment, pollution, river, watershed
What is a Watershed of a River?
A watershed is a geographic area in which water, sediments, and dissolved materials drain to a common outlet such as a stream, lake, aquifer, estuary, or an ocean. No matter where you are, you are in a watershed. When it rains on your street, the water will eventually flow through a drain to a watershed of a river. You can imagine that a watershed consists of a smaller geographic location as apposed to a river basin. A river basin consists of all the watersheds that flow to that river. The watershed of a river can be determined locally. Watersheds and river basins are like arteries of a body. There may be many connections, but they are all draining towards a common destination. All of this is done to keep our water supplies clean.
Can pollution contaminate an entire watershed?
People have a huge influence on watersheds. Activities such as building construction, improper waste disposal, and neglected septic tank maintenance can all contaminate the watershed and the drinking water supplies it serves. To say that it can contaminate a whole water shed might be extreme. Water contamination can definitely affect the health of the public and the animals that rely on clean water. We must all do our part to keep our water clean. A watershed of a river is especially important because rivers flow throughout the U.S.
How do I tell what watershed a river is in?
The best way to tell what river is in a watershed is to consult a map. You can find watershed maps online from resources such as LCRA. Like what was said before, a watershed of a river may be just one of many watersheds. If you live in a city with a major river in it, you can kind of guess that that is where the watershed is going. Watersheds also may drain water to local streams, wetlands, etc. Another way to find out about the watershed of a river is to go to your local city hall. There should be information about the cities drain systems.
Watersheds and river basins are all an important part of our life. We may not think about it much, but if a major watershed or river basin were to ever be contaminated or compromised, our lives would all be affected. If you are environmentally aware, you will want to know about your local city’s watersheds and river basins.
Posted in Water and the Environment
