Reference no: EM13775217

Title: Human Impacts on the Sustainability of Groundwater

 

Instructions: You will need to write a 1-page lab report using the scientific method to answer the following question:

 

• If current human development does not change, will groundwater sustainability be affected?

 

When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted Assignment files.

 

Part I: Using the time progression of industrialization and human development, fill in the data table below to help you write up your lab report.

 

 

Time Period	Impact to Forest	Groundwater Levels	Saltwater Intrusion	Farming	Industrial development	Population
1800s	Large forests	Lots of groundwater	No salt water intrusion	Small farms	No cities	Limited housing
1900s	Decreased by 50%	Decreased by 50%	Ocean moved into groundwater	Farms are larger, but there are fewer	Exceptional growth of cities and industrial development	Substantial increase in housing
2000s	Decreased by 90%	Decreased by 90%	Greater movement of ocean into ground water	Same number of farms, but size decreased by 20%	Industrial development decreased by 10-15%	Housing development decreased by 10-15%

 

 

 

 

Part II: Write a 1-page lab report using the following scientific method sections:

 

• Purpose

 

If current human development does not change, will groundwater sustainability be affected.

 

 

• Introduction

 

Human beings need water to survive and with are sources of water being limited and with it not raining as much as it used to because of the environment changed. Plant Earth's surface is over 70% water, but less than 1% of the water on Earth is considered accessible. We have to use groundwater for drinking and irrigation. Forty percent of the world's food is produced via irrigation. It is said that there will be over 10 billion in human population within the next 50 years.

 

• Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome

 

My hypothesis would be that with less rain being produced to recreate groundwater to get mixed with freshwater to be cleaned for us to use, we will be required to use more ocean water therefore taking away from the sea creatures.

 

• Methods

 

As I went though the lab it was separated up in 3 centuries, 1800-2000. In the 1800 there was large forest, the groundwater levels were good, there was no saltwater intrusion, small farms, no cities, and limited housing. By the 1900's the forest decreased by 50%, the groundwater decreased by 50%, the ocean moved into the groundwater, the farms were larger, cities and industrial development began, and housing increased. In the 2000's forest are almost gone at a 90% decrease, groundwater is almost gone also at a 90% decrease, larger amounts of the ocean is mixing in with the groundwater, same number of farms but the sizes have decreased by 20%, industrial development decreased by 10-15%, and housing development decreased by 10-15%.

 

• Discussion/Analysis

 

As we can tell in a way between hearing from the news and word of mouth we are hearing that soon there will be no more water for us to drink on or use to live with. They are trying to find of resources and ways to keep the water flow going. In this lab it shows were water for us comes from and the different resources used to keep it flowing. It shows that with the decrease in forest to recreate water and less rainy day the ocean is mixing in with the groundwater making it harder for the workers to make it safe so that we can drink it. The lab shows we might not have no water soon and will have to find other resources.