watershed management exam 1 questions and answers
Why does the western US use so much more water per capita than east of the 100th meridian? Give 2 reasons -Correct Answer-The Western US has low precipitation, so more irrigation/water to grow crops is needed
Plants need more water due to higher t...
watershed management exam 1
questions and answers
Why does the western US use so much more water per capita than east of the 100th meridian? Give 2
reasons -Correct Answer-The Western US has low precipitation, so more irrigation/water to grow crops is
needed
Plants need more water due to higher transpiration and evaporation rates.
Describe four ways to define drought. -Correct Answer-Meterological, Agricultural, Ecological,
Hydrological, Socioeconomic
meterological drought -Correct Answer-a measure of departure of precipitation below normal
Agricultural Drought -Correct Answer-a situation where the amount of moisture in the soil no
longer meets the needs of a particular crop.
Ecological Drought -Correct Answer-when natural ecosystems are affected.
Hydrological Drought -Correct Answer-when surface and subsurface water supplies are below
normal.
Socioeconomic drought -Correct Answer-the situation that occurs when physical water
shortages begin to affect people.
How does the Thermohaline circulation operate and how might this change with global warming? -
Correct Answer-Water at the north pole becomes more dense as it cools and releases salt, causing it to
sink. Warm water moves toward the poles, and the cold water begins to warm and rise— this creates the
ocean currents. With climate change, warming temperatures are disrupting water density by warming
waters and increasing salinity.
Explain how regions of the world at 30 deg latitude may become dryer with global warming (include a
discussion of Hadley Cells)? -Correct Answer-Hadley cells explain how air at the equator is heated by the
, sun, causing it to rise. As this air is pushed north or south, it is cooled and drops water/rain. This air at 30
degrees latitude is drier, resulting in more desert-like ecosystems. As greater temperatures are held at
the equator due to global warming, Hadley Cells will get larger, resulting in more dry regions on the
planet.
How might climate change influence precipitation by season in the Northern Hemisphere? -Correct
Answer-In the summer season of the Northern Hemisphere, precipitation is expected to decrease and
get drier. In the winter and spring, the southern areas are expected to get drier, but the northern areas
are actually expected to receive more precipitation.
How is climate change expected to influence runoff in mountainous regions of the western US? -Correct
Answer-In the southwest United States, it is expected that runoff is going to decrease because of climate
change. In addition, the mountainous regions of the Western US will likely see runoff from snowpack
melting earlier and earlier in the year/season.
Describe how water demand between agriculture and domestic uses is changing over time? -Correct
Answer-Although water for irrigation/agricultural use is much greater than public supply/domestic use,
trends have shown that the total withdrawals for agriculture have leveled off, while water withdrawals
for public supply have tripled from 1950 to 2000.
Explain why users of the Colorado River in the Upper basin are effected differently by dust deposition on
snow then those who use the river in the lower basin? -Correct Answer-Water users in the upper basin
of the Colorado River are experiencing the effects of dust deposition greater than those who live in the
lower basin because the reservoirs in the upper basin have decently less storage. As such, these areas
depend on the snowpack to hold water until it runs off in the spring and summer— when the weather is
drier and more water is needed. Because dust is causing snowpack to melt early, many of these upper
basin states are unable to store that water at the time, so it gets wasted and can't be used.
Who was John Wesley Powell and how did he want to divide up the west? -Correct Answer-Powell was
one of the first explorers of the West, whose job was to come out and get the West settled. He
suggested the area be divided based on watershed regions because he saw how dry and arid the region
was.
What were the Utah pioneers contributions to irrigation in the West and in your opinion what factors
allowed this to take place? -Correct Answer-The Utah pioneers contributed to irrigation in the West by
building thousands of miles of canals in order to irrigate their farmland and crops. This was probably able
to take place due to their large numbers and unity, their desperation/drive, and I of course believe that
the Lord played a role in blessing His saints.
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