Notebook Page 66- Pollution of the Ganges and Yangtze Rivers

Notebook Page 66- Pollution of the Ganges and Yangtze Rivers

SS7G10 The student will discuss environmental issues across Southern and Eastern Asia

The Ganges River

The Ganges River begins high in the ______mountains and flows ______miles through ______and ______to the Bay of ______. This river provides ______and ______for the over ______people who live in its ______. It’s known as “______.”

In spite of the river’s ______and its place in the ______lives of Indians, the ______of the water has become ______. Chemicals used in ______and industry are ______into the river every day. Human and animal ______also foul the ______. The bodies of ______as well as the ______remains of ______(bodies that are ______after death and whose ______are scattered in the ______) regularly ______down the river. In spite of this, many ______bathe in the ______. They also use the water for ______and ______.

Cities along the ______have the highest rates of ______diseases (disease found in ______) of any who live in ______. Still, these cities pour ______of ______of ______(water that contains ______products) into the river to be carried to ______and ______further south. Outbreaks of such diseases as ______, ______, typhoid, and ______are common. Most ______say polluted river water is part of the ______.

India did begin a ______called the ______Plan in 1985 to try to clean up the ______. Many ______and ______treatment plants have been built along the river. However, the growing ______of India and the run-off from ______and ______production have meant that ______efforts fall short of what is ______.

1.  Through which country does the Ganges River flow once it leaves India?

2.  What body of water does the Ganges River empty into?

3.  What are three things the Ganges River is used for by the people of India?

4.  How has India’s need to develop more industry ended up creating problems along the Ganges River?

5.  How has the Indian practice of cremating their dead been a problem for the river?

6.  What was the purpose of the Ganges Action Plan in the 1980s?

7.  Why do you think the Indian government had such has had such a hard time making much progress in cleaning up the Ganges River?

The Yangtze River

China’s longest ______, the ______river, flows almost ______from the northwestern part of the country to the ______. The Yangtze River pass through over ______where almost ______people live. Pumping ______along the river take water out to v people with ______for ______, irrigation, and ______uses. Millions of gallongs of ______are dumped into the river, along with ______from agricultural ______and industrial ______. Nitrogen from ______and ______(poisonous chemical) from ______uses are leading ______found in the Yangtze’s waters.

The pollution in the ______puts cities along the ______at risk. Many ______of plants and ______that once lived in the ______are ______. The high levels of ______and ______lead to the growth of ______algae. This growth reduces the ______in the water causing ______to die. Contaminated ______are caught and ______by the Chinese ______, leading to other ______problems.

China is building more water ______facilities (process of ______contaminates from ______). It is encouraging ______along the river to build sanitary ______(areas where ______is ______from the ______until it is ______) for garbage rather than ______the ______in the river. International ______like the ______have worked with Chinese ______to organize such ______. The massive ______Gorges Dam is built along the ______in central China to provide ______power to millions of ______who have not had ______. Some people feel the ______project was begun without taking into ______the effects of such a ______would have on the ______. A number of ______of ______and ______that live along the river where the ______has been built are now ______with ______. Another ______is that the ______has been built in an area prone to ______.

1.  Why is the Yangtze River so important to the population and economy of China?

2.  Into what body of water does the Yangtze flow?

3.  What are some of the main causes of high levels of nitrogen in the waters of the Yangtze River?

4.  Which is one of the most common industrial pollutants found in the Yangtze River?

5.  What has been the effect of the rapid growth of algae in the Yangtze River?

6.  Why did the Chinese government decide to go ahead with the Three Gorges Dam project along the Yangtze?

7.  How would building sanitary landfills along the Yangtze River help reduce pollution in the water?