WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WATER?

Warm Up1) What does the word phenomenon mean?

2) How is wind responsible for upwellings (which is the movement of water from the deep ocean to the surface)

Vertical Zonation

In the intertidal zone there are low tides and high tides, the area in between these tides is known as vertical zonation

Vertical Zonation

In the intertidal zone, the separate areas that mark the different areas where the tide rises and falls to, vertically.

Upwelling

Upwelling is the process in which water from the depths (deeper parts of the ocean) moves up to the surface because the wind is pushing water away from the surface, thereby leaving a space for water to well up to.

Upwelling in Action!

Upwelling in Action!

1.

Except…Downwelling!

If the wind pushes too much surface water along a coastline in one place, the water has no where to go, and heads down back into the depths.

What’s a good example of Upwelling in Finding Nemo?

What’s killing the fish?

What’s killing the fish?

• Many people in North Carolina have seen large numbers of dead fish (called fish kills) in lakes, estuaries & on beaches.

Sometimes fishermen overfish and throw back the extra.

Sometimes fishermen overfish and throw back the extra.

• Gross. This is called “by-catch” or “by-kill.”• What a waste.

But that’s not happening here.

• This tragedy was not caused by overfishing “by-kills.” It has been caused by a different set of factors; possibly natural, possibly man-made.

What’s killing the fish?

• When fish kills are reported, teams of people work to determine the quality of local water.

What’s killing the fish?

• They look at all the ways we monitor healthy water, to make sure nobody gets sick, even the fish.

HERE’S WHAT THEY FOUND:

_________________: Hydrologist

WATER HEALTH REPORT:• Temperature: 20oC• Turbidity: 15 NTU• Dissolved oxygen: 0.55 ppm• Acid/alkalinity: pH 8• Nitrates: 10 ppm• Phosphates: 0.002 ppm• Fecal coliform bacteria: 160 colonies/100mL water

Work in pairs & refer to pages NC12-14 in the back of your textbook.

• Find out what part(s) of this Water Health Report are alarming. Circle or highlight them.

• Prepare a quick verbal presentation on which parts of the report are okay. Calm the public.

• What else would you like to know about this lake?

Further evidence is collected:

Fish Report Highlights:

• Toxins stored in fish fat are low.• No sores or cuts appear in the fish.• Fish appear to have suffocated.• Gills appear normal.

Survey of the area surrounding the lake:

• New city-approved housing has been built on the east side of the lake.

• There is a new hog farm built within a half mile of the north side of the lake.

• Duke Power which operates on the lake has increased electricity output to these new customers.

Answer on back:

1. Which water quality indicators are at harmful levels?

Answer on back:

1. Which water quality indicators are at harmful levels?

2. What process may be occurring in our local water?

Answer on back:

1. Which water quality indicators are at harmful levels?

2. What process may be occurring in our local water?

3. Are there any potential causes of fish deaths that do NOT seem likely in this case? Explain.

Answer on back:

1. Which water quality indicators are at harmful levels?

2. What process may be occurring in our local water?

3. Are there any potential causes of fish deaths that do NOT seem likely in this case? Explain.

4. What do you think is the likely problem & cause of the fish kill?