This document discusses erosion and its impacts on local water resources. It defines key terms like turbidity and explains that erosion is more severe on bare land without trees and plants. Sediment is considered a pollutant that harms aquatic life and water quality. Erosion from construction sites can negatively impact streams ecologically, aesthetically, and economically by making the water cloudy and requiring treatment.

1. Understanding Our Local Watersheds and Our Local Water Resources Lesson 3

2. Check Homework Questions What is the difference between streams and rivers? What is the importance of the floodplain areas? What type of organisms live in the riffle areas of streams? How are macroinvertebrates used to measure the health of a stream?

3. What does a stream look like after a heavy rainfall?

4. Sometimes rain falls with such great force, that it moves soil from its original location. This process is called _______. Erosion Erosion is more severe on bare land because there are no trees, grasses, and shrubs to soften the force of the rain and hold the soil in place.

5. Erosion and Sedimentation

6. Turbidity Turbidity is the measure of suspended sediment and algae in rivers, streams, and lakes. An ecologist would refer to a cloudy or muddy stream as “turbid.”

7. TRUE or FALSE ________ Sediment is considered a pollutant when it is found in bodies of water. ________ Erosion is not an environmental problem because it happens naturally. ________ Nothing can be done to prevent erosion. ________ Erosion is more severe on bare land than on land that has trees, grasses, and shrubs. ________ An ecologist would say that a cloudy or muddy stream is “turbid” because it has a lot of sedimentation in it. True True True False False

9. List as many negative things that can happen when a lot of soil erodes from a construction site and is deposited into the nearest stream. Categorize your answers: Ecological: Aesthetic: Economical: Too many sediments can make it hard for fish to breath; turbid and cloudy water does not receive as much sunshine and this slows down growth; without as much sunshine, the temperature of the water may be affected. Muddy water is not very pretty to look at. It costs money to remove chemicals and sediments from water.

10. Homework Create 5 questions (and answer them) using the F. I. V. E. S. format. Use today’s handout notes.

11. Is the Water Safe to Drink? Dilution Activity

12. Don’t Muddy the Water Each group will receive a water sample. Your task is to set up a filtration system that will clean the water.