Clean Water Quiz

1. Wetlands like this one provide humans with which of the following:

Reducing flood damage

Ground water recharge

Providing habitat for ducks, fish and other wildlife

All of the above

2. True or False: the government samples all streams and rivers in the U.S. to check for water pollution.

True

False

3. When did congress pass the Clean Water Act?

1898

1922

1972

1987

4. What is the biggest source of pollution in streams today?

Industrial waste

Discharge from sewage treatment plants

Rain runoff carrying pollutants from the land

Landfills

5. What potentially polluting practices are not regulated under the Clean Water Act?

Agriculture

Logging

Mining

All of the above

6. What percentage of streams are monitored by state, local and federal government agencies for pollution?

24%

48%

72%

96%

7. Headwater streams are the small creeks and streams that are the origin of most rivers. What percentage of headwater streams are currently not protected by the Clean Water Act a result of U.S. Supreme Court cases in 2001 and 2006?

15%

35%

60%

90%

8. How many gallons of water does it take to grow and prepare food for a typical Thanksgiving dinner for eight people?

42 gallons

420 gallons

4,200 gallons

42,000 gallons

9. Of the 24% of streams that are monitored, what percentage of our rivers and streams are safe enough to swim in and eat fish out of?

45%

60%

75%

90%

10. How much of the average U.S. citizen's drinking water comes from rivers and streams?

25%

45%

65%

85%

11. How much water can one quart of motor oil contaminate?

1,000 gallons

10,000 gallons

100,000 gallons

1,000,000 gallons

12. What percentage of waterways and groundwater in the United States are contaminated with residue from antidepressants, birth control pills and antibiotics?

20%

40%

60%

80%