HYDROSPHERE. Freshwater Systems and Pollution

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2 OUR FRAGILE PLANET HYDROSPHERE Freshwater Systems and Pollution

3 OUR FRAGILE PLANET Atmosphere Biosphere Climate Geosphere humans and the Natural environment hydrosphere oceans polar regions

4 OUR FRAGILE PLANET HYDROSPHERE Freshwater Systems and Pollution DANA DESONIE, PH.D.

5 Hydrosphere Copyright 2008 by Dana Desonie, Ph.D. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Chelsea House An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Desonie, Dana. Hydrosphere : freshwater systems and pollution / Dana Desonie. p. cm. (Our fragile planet) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: (hardcover) ISBN-10: (hardcover) 1. Water Pollution Environmental aspects Juvenile literature. 2. Water Pollution Health aspects Juvenile literature. 3. Fresh water Juvenile literature. 4. Water Purification Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series. QH545.W3D dc Chelsea House books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) or (800) You can find Chelsea House on the World Wide Web at Text design by Annie O Donnell Cover design by Ben Peterson Printed in the United States of America Bang NMSG This book is printed on acid-free paper. All links and Web addresses were checked and verified to be correct at the time of publication. Because of the dynamic nature of the Web, some addresses and links may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. Cover photograph: Corbis Royalty Free/age fotostock

6 Contents Preface vii Acknowledgments Introduction Part ONe the Water Planet 1 1. The Water Cycle 3 2. Surface Waters Surface Water Resources Groundwater and Its Use 52 ix x Part two Freshwater Pollutants and their effects Where Water Pollutants Come From and Where They Go Possible Health Effects of Toxic Chemicals Toxic Organic Pollutants Toxic Inorganic Pollutants Biological Pollutants 114

7 Part Three Cleaning Polluted Waters Cleaning Point Source Pollution Modern Water Cleanup Issues The History of Water Pollution in the Great Lakes 158 Conclusion 167 Glossary 173 Further Reading 184 Index 188

8 Preface The planet is a marvelous place: a place with blue skies, wild storms, deep lakes, and rich and diverse ecosystems. The tides ebb and flow, baby animals are born in the spring, and tropical rain forests harbor an astonishing array of life. The Earth sustains living things and provides humans with the resources to maintain a bountiful way of life: water, soil, and nutrients to grow food, and the mineral and energy resources to build and fuel modern society, among many other things. The physical and biological sciences provide an understanding of the whys and hows of natural phenomena and processes why the sky is blue and how metals form, for example and insights into how the many parts are interrelated. Climate is a good example. Among the many influences on the Earth s climate are the circulation patterns of the atmosphere and the oceans, the abundance of plant life, the quantity of various gases in the atmosphere, and even the sizes and shapes of the continents. Clearly, to understand climate it is necessary to have a basic understanding of several scientific fields and to be aware of how these fields are interconnected. As Earth scientists like to say, the only thing constant about our planet is change. From the ball of dust, gas, and rocks that came together 4.6 billion years ago to the lively and diverse globe that orbits the Sun today, very little about the Earth has remained the same for long. Yet, while change is fundamental, people have altered the environment unlike any other species in Earth s history. Everywhere there are reminders of our presence. A look at the sky might show a sooty cloud or a jet contrail. A look at the sea might reveal plastic refuse, vii

9 viii hydrosphere oil, or only a few fish swimming where once they had been countless. The land has been deforested and strip-mined. Rivers and lakes have been polluted. Changing conditions and habitats have caused some plants and animals to expand their populations, while others have become extinct. Even the climate which for millennia was thought to be beyond human influence has been shifting due to alterations in the makeup of atmospheric gases brought about by human activities. The planet is changing fast and people are the primary cause. Our Fragile Planet is a set of eight books that celebrate the wonders of the world by highlighting the scientific processes behind them. The books also look at the science underlying the tremendous influence humans are having on the environment. The set is divided into volumes based on the large domains on which humans have had an impact: Atmosphere, Climate, Hydrosphere, Oceans, Geosphere, Biosphere, and Polar Regions. The volume Humans and the Natural Environment describes the impact of human activity on the planet and explores ways in which we can live more sustainably. A core belief expressed in each volume is that to mitigate the impacts humans are having on the Earth, each of us must understand the scientific processes that operate in the natural world. We must understand how human activities disrupt those processes and use that knowledge to predict ways that changes in one system will affect seemingly unrelated systems. These books express the belief that science is the solid ground from which we can reach an agreement on the behavioral changes that we must adopt both as individuals and as a society to solve the problems caused by the impact of humans on our fragile planet.

10 Acknowledgments I would like to thank, above all, the scientists who have dedicated their lives to the study of the Earth, especially those engaged in the important work of understanding how human activities are impacting the planet. Many thanks to the staff of Facts On File and Chelsea House for their guidance and editing expertise: Frank Darmstadt, Executive Editor; Brian Belval, Senior Editor; and Leigh Ann Cobb, independent developmental editor. Dr. Tobi Zausner located the color images that illustrate our planet s incredible beauty and the harsh reality of the effects human activities are having on it. Thanks also to my agent, Jodie Rhodes, who got me involved in this project. Family and friends were a great source of support and encouragement as I wrote these books. Special thanks to the May 97 Moms, who provided the virtual water cooler that kept me sane during long days of writing. Cathy Propper was always enthusiastic as I was writing the books, and even more so when they were completed. My mother, Irene Desonie, took great care of me as I wrote for much of June Mostly importantly, my husband, Miles Orchinik, kept things moving at home when I needed extra writing time and provided love, support, and encouragement when I needed that, too. This book is dedicated to our children, Reed and Maya, who were always loving, and usually patient. I hope these books do a small bit to help people understand how their actions impact the future for all children. ix