Central Case Study Starving the Louisiana Coast of

Central Case Study: Starving the Louisiana Coast of Sediment

Why are Louisiana’s wetlands disappearing?

Where do we get our drinking water from?

How is water renewed and recycled? (Hydrologic Cycle)

The water cycle: Inputs Or SOURCES

What is the role of Groundwater?

A typical aquifer

The Ogallala Aquifer

Other Sources include Rivers and Streams (Surface Water)

Ponds and lakes change over time (Surface Water)

Wetlands are valuable-where the sea meets the land…

What is our affect waterways?

How will the unequal distribution of water affect us?

Water Outputs or USE-think of Surf your Watershed Activity

Why does agriculture use so much water?

We build dikes and levees to control floods. But this causes other problems…

We have erected thousands of dams

A typical dam

Some dams are being removed

We divert surface water for our needs

We are draining rivers and lakes

The Aral Sea

We are depleting groundwater

Bottled water has heavy ecological costs

Will we see a future of water wars?

Solutions can address supply or demand

Agricultural demand can be reduced

Reducing residential and industrial demand

Freshwater pollution and its control

Point and nonpoint sources of pollution

Freshwater pollution sources

Indicators of water quality

Nutrient pollution

Eutrophication is a natural process, but…

Biodegradable wastes

Toxic chemicals

Sediment pollution

Thermal pollution

Pathogens and waterborne diseases

Oil pollution

Nets and plastic debris

Oil spills have decreased

Pollutants contaminate groundwater

It is best to prevent pollution

Legislative efforts reduce pollution

Enforcement of water quality needs money

We treat our drinking water

We treat our wastewater

Municipal sewer systems

A typical wastewater treatment facility

Artificial wetlands clean wastewater

Conclusion