Our World of Water

Water Management

The amount of water we have now is all the water we're going to get. Because the oceans contain so much of the total water supply, there is really very little fresh water available for our use. In some areas of the world there is too little fresh water, while in others there is too much. The limited amount of fresh water available requires that we live where it is abundant and that we reuse it many times. If water has been contaminated it must be cleaned, because polluted water is unsafe. Polluted water may be not only unhealthy for drinking or for use by industry, but may be hazardous for swimming or boating. Can you think of ways in which water is polluted?

Years ago, there were fewer people living around sources of water. There was enough clean water to dilute the wastes discharged into it. Then nature's self-cleaning processes could take over. Bacteria and other microscopic plants and animals in the water could break down the wastes into harmless substances. For example, algae are actually nature's way of cleaning nutrients out of a lake, even though they make it undesirable for swimming. There are types of bacteria or organisms which cause diseases, however. That is why there is such a need for waste disposal or sewage treatment plants to reduce water-borne, disease-bearing organisms.

Today there are types of wastes nature cannot clean up adequately. Contaminants enter our water supplies not only from "point sources" such as industrial discharge pipes but also from "non-point sources" such as drainage from heavily fertilized fields. Among the most dangerous of pollutants are the chemical wastes such as lead and mercury, given off by our industrial society. Chemical pollutants can be very dangerous to mankind and wildlife. It is up to all of us to see that these wastes do not contaminate our water supplies.

Wise management of our valuable water resources will ensure that there is enough water to meet all future needs. Large users of water and land must be regulated to prevent using up or polluting water supplies. In this way, all water users will be protected. The duty of state and federal governments is to establish suitable water quality standards. There is a need for cooperation between states and countries in this matter, because water knows no political boundaries.

Because of these urgent and important water problems, large numbers of scientists and government employees today are involved in water management. Some of the careers related to water management include:

Can you think of how each of these professions is involved in water management? The people now involved in water management must be farsighted enough to anticipate future demands on our water supply and be able to devise methods to satisfactorily regulate water use. But the work is just beginning. Learning all we can about water and its conservation will help to supply future generations with all the water they will need.

Someday, you may have to make a decision on how to use water or you may have a question concerning some regulation that affects your use of water. The following agencies may be able to assist you:

Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Geological Survey
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Minnesota State Planning Agency
Regional Development Commissions
United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service
United States Department of Defense, Corps of Engineers
United States Department of Interior, Geological Survey, Water ResourcesDivision

Share what you have learned with others in your project group or 4-H club by giving a demonstration or project talk. It will be good practice in expressing yourself and will give you confidence to perform before a group of your friends. The experiments contained in this manual could serve as demonstration topics either in various combinations or singly. For example, a demonstration could be prepared on "physical properties of water" by using experiments #1 through #5, or a demonstration on "conductivity of water" alone could be developed by expanding experiment #5. These experiments might suggest other topics that you might also develop into demonstrations or exhibits.

We would suggest that science exhibits may be the most suitable kind for this unit on geology. You will want to check with your local county extension agent and/or your local county fair premium list for specific guidelines in practice in your county.

A science exhibit is created and evaluated according to the following guidelines:

A. Information - 70 percent

Accurate

Complete

Educational value

Overall effectiveness

Related to 4-H project

B. Workmanship - 30 percent

Neatness of exhibit

Easy to read—lettering large enough

Wise use of color

Attractively arranged

Shows some originality

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