Tracking Groundwater Contamination

Next Generation Science / Common Core Standards Addressed!

HS‐ESS3‐3. Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships HS‐ESS3‐3. Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors that populations, and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per‐capita consumption, and the development of new and waste management, per‐capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.] [Assessment agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided Boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi‐parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.]multi‐parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.]

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Standards Addressed

ESS.05.02. Perform assessments of ESS.05.02. Perform assessments of environmental conditions using environmental conditions using equipment, machinery and technology.equipment, machinery and technology. ESS.05.02.01.a. Research and summarize ESS.05.02.01.a. Research and summarize

methods used to determine water quality methods used to determine water quality (e.g., dissolved oxygen, chemical tests, (e.g., dissolved oxygen, chemical tests, macroinvertebrates, etc.) and determine if a macroinvertebrates, etc.) and determine if a source of water has been contaminated.source of water has been contaminated.

Bell Work / Learning Objectives

Define groundwater.Define groundwater. List causes of List causes of

groundwater groundwater contamination.contamination.

Explain the severity of Explain the severity of groundwater groundwater conservation.conservation.

Terms

AquiferAquifer GroundwaterGroundwater PercolationPercolation

What is groundwater?

How much precipitation falls on How much precipitation falls on average in our area?average in our area?

How much of that precipitation How much of that precipitation ends up as groundwater?ends up as groundwater?

What constitutes the base flow of What constitutes the base flow of many streams that would many streams that would otherwise be dry in non-rainy otherwise be dry in non-rainy periods?periods?

Groundwater

Water found between soil Water found between soil particles and rocks within particles and rocks within the earth.the earth.

Comes from precipitation.Comes from precipitation. Rain falls or snow melts, Rain falls or snow melts,

some of the water some of the water evaporates, some is evaporates, some is taken up by plants, taken up by plants, some of it runs off into some of it runs off into gutters, ponds or gutters, ponds or streams, and the rest streams, and the rest seeps down into the seeps down into the earth to become earth to become groundwater.groundwater.

Groundwater Provides most of Provides most of

the freshwater the freshwater people use. people use.

It also feeds It also feeds streams and streams and springs. springs.

Groundwater may Groundwater may be stored in large, be stored in large, underground rock underground rock formations called formations called aquifers. aquifers.

Aquifers Permeable rock Permeable rock

materials that materials that groundwater travels groundwater travels through.through. Aquifer comes form Aquifer comes form

two Latin words: two Latin words: aqua or “water”, and aqua or “water”, and ferre, “to carry.”ferre, “to carry.”

A layer of sand and A layer of sand and gravel or a deposit of gravel or a deposit of sandstone or sandstone or limestone.limestone.

Unconfined Aquifer Groundwater is able to move readily Groundwater is able to move readily

through.through. Water table is the top of an Water table is the top of an

unconfined (unpressurized) aquifer, unconfined (unpressurized) aquifer, below which the pore spaces are below which the pore spaces are generally saturated.generally saturated. Perched water table is when the Perched water table is when the

groundwater collects/pools on top of an groundwater collects/pools on top of an impermeable layer above the water impermeable layer above the water table.table.

Confined Aquifer Groundwater Groundwater

sandwiched sandwiched between two between two layers of layers of impermeable impermeable rocks.rocks.

Artesian wells are Artesian wells are wells that have wells that have drilled into a drilled into a confined aquifer.confined aquifer.

Artesian Wells When a well is drilled, the water level When a well is drilled, the water level

rises above the level of the confined rises above the level of the confined aquifer due to the difference in aquifer due to the difference in elevation from the point of recharge elevation from the point of recharge to the point of discharge (the well).to the point of discharge (the well).

A flowing artesian well is when there A flowing artesian well is when there is enough pressure to push the water is enough pressure to push the water above the surface of the ground.above the surface of the ground.

Artesian Water in NM? Artesia NM received its name because of the free Artesia NM received its name because of the free

flowing artesian water found by farmers who settled flowing artesian water found by farmers who settled the lower Pecos valley in the 1800’s.the lower Pecos valley in the 1800’s.

Percolation

The downward movement of The downward movement of water through the soil.water through the soil.

Groundwater Contamination Three of the main sources of Three of the main sources of

groundwater contamination are groundwater contamination are agricultural activities, human agricultural activities, human activities, and natural sources.activities, and natural sources.

Agriculture Activities Include the practice of irrigation Include the practice of irrigation

and the application of fertilizers and the application of fertilizers and pesticides.and pesticides.

Irrigation may cause pollution Irrigation may cause pollution because of the salts the irrigation because of the salts the irrigation water contains. This is not water contains. This is not uncommon in New Mexicouncommon in New Mexico As the water percolates through the As the water percolates through the

soil, it takes the salts along.soil, it takes the salts along.

Agriculture Activities

Fertilizers can become pollutants Fertilizers can become pollutants when they are applied too when they are applied too heavily. heavily. The fertilizer that the plant cannot The fertilizer that the plant cannot

use becomes a pollutant.use becomes a pollutant. Pesticides can also become Pesticides can also become

pollutants when applied too pollutants when applied too heavily.heavily.

Human Activities

Include waste disposal, septic Include waste disposal, septic systems, and land fills.systems, and land fills.

Wastes can become pollutants Wastes can become pollutants when not disposed of properly. when not disposed of properly. Examples of wastes include septic Examples of wastes include septic

systems, landfills, and illegal systems, landfills, and illegal dumping.dumping.

Human Activities Septic systems are not only one of Septic systems are not only one of

the largest sources of waste, they are the largest sources of waste, they are also full of bacteria, viruses, and the also full of bacteria, viruses, and the organic chemicals used to break organic chemicals used to break down the wastes.down the wastes.

Landfills are for either municipal or Landfills are for either municipal or industrial use. Municipal landfills industrial use. Municipal landfills include wastes collected from include wastes collected from households. households. Industrial landfills include wastes that Industrial landfills include wastes that

may be contaminated with a number of may be contaminated with a number of hazardous chemicals.hazardous chemicals.

Times Beach Mo. Was abandoned due to toxic waste!

Millions of gallons of aviation fuel have leaked from storage at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.

The fuel has contaminated an underground aquifer.The fuel has contaminated an underground aquifer. The military has drilled wells to monitor the flow of the fuel The military has drilled wells to monitor the flow of the fuel

contaminated water. Clean up proposals are being studied.contaminated water. Clean up proposals are being studied.

Natural Sources Include nitrates, nitrogen, and minerals.Include nitrates, nitrogen, and minerals. Nitrates and nitrogen in ground water Nitrates and nitrogen in ground water

come from the natural decomposition come from the natural decomposition process of organic materials. process of organic materials. They can be hazardous to babies and They can be hazardous to babies and

young children.young children. Minerals in the groundwater are Minerals in the groundwater are

considered pollutants in high considered pollutants in high concentrations. concentrations. An example of damage caused by minerals An example of damage caused by minerals

includes staining of fixtures and sediments includes staining of fixtures and sediments on pumps and pipes.on pumps and pipes.

Severity of Groundwater Contamination

Cannot be truly measured. Cannot be truly measured. Too many factors are involved to Too many factors are involved to

determine the overall level of determine the overall level of contamination. contamination.

Factors such as soil types, type of Factors such as soil types, type of contaminant, amount of precipitation, contaminant, amount of precipitation, and location of contamination can and location of contamination can determine the severity of contamination determine the severity of contamination in the area.in the area.

Overall, the more shallow the aquifer, Overall, the more shallow the aquifer, the more likely it is to become polluted.the more likely it is to become polluted.

Review / Summary

Define groundwater.Define groundwater. List causes of groundwater List causes of groundwater

contamination.contamination. Explain the severity of Explain the severity of

groundwater conservation.groundwater conservation.

The End!