Problem 1
During summer, wildfires are relatively common occurrences in the mountains of the western United States. We have learned that Earth is a system in which various parts of the four major spheres interact in uncountable ways. Let's relate that idea to a wildfire in the western mountains. a. What atmospheric conditions might precede and thus set the stage for a wildfire? b. What might ignite the blaze? Suggest a natural possibility and a human possibility. c. Describe at least one way that wildfires might influence future mass- wasting processes.
Problem 2
Describe at least one situation in which an internal process might cause or contribute to a mass-wasting process.
Problem 7
During a trip to the grocery store, your friend wants to buy some bottled water. Some brands promote the fact that their product is artesian. Other brands boast that their water comes from a spring. Your friend asks, "Is artesian water or spring water necessarily better than water from other sources?" How would you reply?
Problem 8
Building a dam is one method of regulating the flow of a river to control flooding. Dams and their reservoirs may also provide recreational opportunities and water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. This image, from near Page, Arizona, shows Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River upstream from the Grand Canyon and a portion of Lake Powell, the reservoir it created. a. How did the behavior of the stream likely change upstream from Lake Powell? b. Given enough time, how might the reservoir change? c. Speculate on the possible environmental impacts of building a dam such as this one.
Problem 9
A glance at the map shows that the drainage basin of the Republican River occupies portions of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. A significant part of the basin is considered semiarid. In 1943, the three states made a legal agreement regarding sharing the river's water. In 1998, Kansas went to court to force farmers in southern Nebraska to substantially reduce the amount of groundwater they used for irrigation. Nebraska officials claimed that the farmers were not taking water from the Republican River and thus were not violating the 1943 agreement. The court ruled in favor of Kansas. a. Explain why the court ruled that groundwater in southern Nebraska should be considered part of the Republican River system. b. How might heavy irrigation in a drainage basin influence the flow of a river?
