DRINKING RIVER WATER WEB QUEST


INTRODUCTION

The city of Chemville has a rapidly growing population. Chemville began in the early 1950s with a population of a few hundred people and its population is currently projected to be over 120,000 in the year 2020. Currently Chemville gets drinking water from nearby Crystal Lake which has been protected through legislation to ensure a virtually contamination-free water source.

But with more people on the way, Crystal Lake will be unable to provide enough water to supply the drinking water demands of Chemville. The Town Council has asked for a team of specialists to consider the possibility of using nearby Fox River as an alternate source of drinking water. You will be a part of this team. Future generations of Chemvillites rely on the decisions you will be making!


THE PROBLEM

You and your team are highly skilled and trained professionals, including:
The city of Chemville has employed you to do the necessary research and make recommendations regarding Chemville's use of the Fox River as a source for additional future drinking water.

THE TASK

Your task is to:


THE PROCESS

There are three main phases to this project:


Phase 1: Gaining Background Knowledge

Use the following web sites and others you might discover to answer these questions:

Questions:

  1. What is agricultural runoff?
  2. What does the term ground water mean?
  3. What does the term riparian zone mean?
  4. Draw a picture of the water cycle with ground water on it. Label all parts.
  5. What is a watershed? Explain how it is formed.
  6. What is an aquifer and how does it work?
  7. When is water considered clean enough to drink?
  8. How many gallons of water are used daily by a single person? How many gallons are used by a city of 120,000?
  9. What is the definition of polluted water?

Phase 2: Collecting Information

Decide, with your group, what role or roles you should pick. Collect information on the question or questions that go with your role. In your research, you will be finding the answers to the following questions. Check the web sites listed after each question.

INVESTIGATIVE SCIENTIST

PUBLIC HEALTH DOCTOR GOVERNMENT HYDROLOGIST ENVIRONMENTALIST
Phase 3: Working on your Written Report to the Chemville City Council

Check the directions listed in "The Task", above, for directions on how to create your written report. Remember to include a Dissension Statement if not all the group members agree on the issue.


CONCLUSION

After having researched and written your report on drinking water, you should have a much clearer idea of the controversy surrounding unpolluted sources of drinking water. Livestock, farming, industry and citizens contribute to contamination of river water, and although chemical methods exist to "clean" the polluted water, problems persist. There are many sides to this argument, and hopefully you have had exposure to many of them.


EVALUATION

Each Web Quest Team member can receive a maximum of 5 extra credit points for completing this Web Quest. Three points shall address the perspective statement created by each individual Team member, and two points shall address the group work used to complete the paper.

Grading shall be based on neatness, spelling errors, accuracy of information gathered, quality of list of references, and similar criteria. In addition, each participant shall anonymously complete an evaluation form for each Team member which will affect the final grade. For more information, contact the instructor.


WebQuest originally developed by Richard Levine at Tefft Middle School in Streamwood, Illinois, USA,
and adopted as appropriate by Michael Russell at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, USA