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				Area 1 Envirothon
				Envirothon –2006 Lucas County Current Environmental Issues Eco-station
				Which of the following organisms can be used to gauge water quality? A. Aquatic insects B. Fish C. Amphibians D. All of the above Two streams flow through a forest preserve. At the headwaters of Stream 1, there is a housing development. Stream 2’s headwaters are located in a forest/wetland area. What conditions might you expect to find in stream 1? A. A greater variety of species than in stream 2 B. More sedimentation due to run-off C. A lower temperature than stream 2 D. None of the above Microcystis sp. blooms in Lake Erie during the summer months. Why is it harmful? A. The flowers smother beneficial plants B. It releases microcystin, a harmful toxin C. It eats all of the food for other fish D. It removes water from the ecosystem E. None of the above In general, which of the following is considered a “best practice” to help maintain water quality and reduce consumption? A. Put natural mulch around trees and shrubs B. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks and driveways C. Water your lawn on a windy day so the water goes farther D. Wash your car on the lawn instead of a concrete driveway E. a, b, and d Your house is located in the Swan Creek watershed. What can you do to protect Swan Creek? A. Nothing B. Put fertilizer on your lawn to make it greener C. Reduce your use of pesticides and other chemicals on the lawn D. Remove all of the grass from your yard so there is only soil, that way you won’t have to fertilize. The Great Lakes were formed by glaciers. About how long ago did last glacier retreat from the area? A. 1 billion years ago B. 1 million years ago C. 10,000 years ago D. 1,000 years ago You are a farmer who owns 100 acres of farm land. You grow corn and soybeans using traditional farming methods (i.e.: you till fields, fertilize, etc.). You read in the newspaper about a very rare species of trout and you realize that this trout lives in the stream that runs through your property. The article stated that these trout are very sensitive to pollution. Being a concerned citizen, what might you do to help protect this trout’s habitat? A. Farm up to the waters edge to help reduce invasive weed growth B. Encourage the growth of trees and shrubs near the stream C. Remove all the log jams and snags in the stream D. All of the above How are aquatic invasive species introduced to new environments? A. Intentional stocking B. Release from aquariums C. People dumping unused bait over the side of the boat D. All of the above Which of the following is a non-point source of pollution to aquatic systems? A. A drainage pipe dumping raw sewage into a lake B. Run-off from a farm field C. A smokestack emitting mercury compounds D. All of the above are non-point sources of pollution What happens to toxic contaminants in the sediment at the bottom of a body of water? A. They are always removed through remediation efforts. B. Storms, fish, and other aquatic disturbance can recirculate the sediment and contaminants back into the water column. C. They remain there permanently so that we no longer need to worry about them. D. They break down into neutral compounds that pose no environmental threat. Grassy areas planted near creeks in farm fields to prevent runoff are called what? Wetlands Borders Fence rows Filter strips 12. Which of the following caused the flooding along the Mississippi River in the 1990’s ? A. Loss of wetlands B. Undredged harbors C. Drought D. Tourism 13. A wetland is an area that has water on it for at least part of the year and vegetation that has adapted to the area. What percent of Ohio’s pre-settlement wetlands remain? A. 90% B. 60% C. 33% D. 10% 14. Historically, how were most wetlands destroyed ? A. Draining them for use as agricultural fields B. Filling them in to build suburbs C. Bulldozing them to create highways D. Digging them up for their soils 15. Why are wetlands important ? A. Flood control B. Nutrient filters C. Home to biologically diverse species D. All of the above 16. You see service people emptying buckets of some white liquid into a storm drain nearby. What should you do? All storm sewers are treated by the sewage plant, so don’t worry about it. Slash the tires on their van to keep them from getting away. Call your local Police Department to report illegal dumping Run your garden hose in that drain to dilute the material 17. Which is true of a properly designed and constructed home septic system? A. It will last forever. B. It will last about 25 years. C. It will be maintenance free. D. It can be connected to the nearest drainage tile. 18. What should be done with downspouts on a typical house? A. Connect them directly to a storm sewer so that water can be quickly directed to the nearest waterway. B. Direct them overland to infiltrate the soil before entering any drain. C. Direct them into a rain barrel to be used when needed D. Both b and c. 19. What is a watershed? A. A pumphouse for well water. B. The area of land that catches rain and snow, which then drains or seeps into a wetland, stream, river, lake or groundwater. C. A temporary shelter used by ice fishermen. D. All the rivers and streams in a given area. 20. Which of the following is a FALSE statement? A. Healthy watersheds are vital for a healthy environment and economy. B. Our watersheds provide water for drinking, irrigation and industry. C. Recreational uses are not considered when managing watersheds. D. Wildlife needs healthy watersheds for food and shelter. 21. Which water quality problems are more difficult to isolate and control? A. Point-source pollution B. Industrial discharge C. Nonpoint-source pollution D. Wastewater treatment facilities 22. Which is most likely to cause algal blooms in water? A. High nutrient levels B. Low nutrient levels C. High salt levels D. Low salt levels 23. Which happens when the temperature of a stream increases? A. The amount of dissolved oxygen decreases. B. The amount of dissolved oxygen increases. C. The biodiversity increases. D. The turbidity increases. 24. Which is the best way to keep the temperature of a stream from rising? A. Increase the amount of sediments in the stream. B. Remove the vegetation from the stream bank. C. Increase the pH level of the stream. D. Take steps to reduce soil erosion into the stream. 25. Which of the following describes the term “riparian buffer”? A. The strip of land between the curb and sidewalk B. The boundary between two watersheds C. The zone between fresh and salt water D. Plants and trees along the banks of a water body 26. Which jurisdiction would most likely make a decision on land-use zoning? A. The US government B A state government C. A county or city government D. A United Nations agency 27. Who is responsible for protecting water quality? A. Elected officials. B. The Army Corps of Engineers C. Watchdog organizations D. Everyone 28. Which of the following groups are not considered to be stakeholders when water quality decisions are made? A. Farmers B. Businesses C. Government Agencies D. Developers E. All of the above groups are stakeholders in environmental decision making. 29. You are standing near a former hog barn. If it were in use today, what do you think would be the best way to dispose of the manure from the hogs confined here? A. Provide the hogs plenty of fresh straw and place the used straw near the creek bank to keep the weeds down B. Keep the hogs outside so that there is no need to clean up the manure. C. Create a holding area for the manure so that it can be spread on the fields. D. None of the above are great ideas to promote water quality.
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