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Learning Intention
Learning Intention
Investigate the biophysical processes essential to the functioning of the selected environment - Lake Albert.
Inquiry Questions
Inquiry Questions
What is the Lake Albert catchment?
How does human activity impact the Lake Albert catchment?
Catchment overview: Riverina EEC
Background knowledge: Catchments
Background knowledge: Catchments
A catchment is an area of land which catches water. The water flows to the lowest point in catchment.
Many small catchments combine to make up larger catchments.
Soil erosion: Riverina EEC
Background knowledge: Soil erosion
Background knowledge: Soil erosion
As water moves over a catchment it flows downhill because of gravity. Kinetic energy is the energy from the movement of an object. The faster water is flowing and the greater the volume the more energy it has to do more work such as erode soil.
When water removes soil and transports it this is called erosion.
When the water slows down as it enters a lake, it loses energy and cannot do as much work. The water cannot keep transporting the eroded soil and it is deposited as a sediment in a lake. This is called Sedimentation.
Lake Albert Catchment land use: Riverina EEC
Background knowledge: Land use
Background knowledge: Land use
Land use is the way that humans use the land.
It includes farms, urban areas and natural bushland.
Land use causes many of the land degradation problems in a catchment.
Land degradation is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be undesirable.
The information presented in this diagram can be used to annotate page 3 in your Student Fieldwork Booklet. This can be during your fieldwork.
Water as a solvent: Riverina EEC
Background knowledge: Water as a solvent
Background knowledge: Water as a solvent
Water is a very powerful solvent. Substances such as salt dissolve very easily in water.
As water moves over and through a catchment it dissolves many substances it comes into contact with such as salt, fertiliser and other pollutants and refuse and transports them lower down the catchment.
If the water enters a lake, the pollutants can collect in the lake and become concentrated as lake water evaporates.
The key nutrients concentrated in the water of Lake Albert catchment is Phosphorus and Ammonia (Nitrogen)
Blue Green Algae - Lake Albert: Riverina EEC
Background knowledge: Blue Green Algae
Background knowledge: Blue Green Algae
The key story regarding Lake Albert and its use in the 21st Century centers around Blue-Green algae.
Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, are the most ancient of all photosynthetic organisms. Some produce poisons harmful to humans and possibly fatal to domestic animals and fish - neurotoxins and liver toxins, and skin allergens.
Algal blooms can cause waters to be unsafe for all users of water including agriculture, irrigation and recreation.
It is essential that all persons affected by blue-green algae understand what it is, and what the potential impacts of the algae may be to them or their business or recreational activities.
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