Water Quality and Concerns

1
Water Quality and Concerns

• AG 101

Forestry Revision Committee May 2007
2
Importance

• Water is a very important natural resource
• Production ag relies on water for irrigation
• Water shortages are common in many places
• Potable water-drinkable water
• Potable water is especially valuable

3
Importance

• Water quality and availability depend on water
  management practices
• All uses of water should have effective
  management practices
• We can no longer take clean water for granted
• Water usage is exceeding the rate of replacement

4
Water Distribution

• Least expensive form of distribution is
  precipitation
• Hydrologic cycle- movement of water through four
  separate processes precipitation, evaporation,
  transpiration, and solar energy
• Groundwater provides 60 percent of the total
  water supply to Texas

5
Pollution

• Many polluted waters are a direct result of air
  pollution
• Pollution can be controlled
• We must do our part to reduce pollution
• Improper animal waste management is a cause of
  pollution

6
Drought

• Defined as an extended period without moisture
• Economic impact is definite and long term
• Wind erosion usually occurs more during drought
  periods
• Land becomes much less productive during drought
  periods

7
Climate

• Climate is the average course of the weather
  during a period of years
• Weather is the conditions outside right now
• Climate sets limits for agricultural production
• Moisture and water are crucial elements to the
  climate

8
Summary

• Water quality is a very important issue for
  everyone to consider
• This issue is of extreme importance to people in
  agriculture
• We need to all do our parts so that people in the
  future can have clean water and a large supply of
  it