Wetlands have important filtering capabilities. Wetlands filter surface- water runoff from higher dry land before it reaches open water. As the runoff water passes through, the wetlands retain excess nutrients and some pollutants. This filtering also helps to reduce sediment that would clog waterways and affect fish and amphibian egg development. In performing this filtering function, wetlands save us a great deal of money.

Without the natural filtration system of a wetland, money would most likely be spent on

A) building barrier islands.

B) coastal rebuilding efforts.

C) waste water treatment plants.

D) non-point source pollution clean up.

Distance that the transcontinental railroad covered from omaha to san francisco.

Imagine you work as a consultant, and your daily job involves listening to the constructive criticism of others. as part of your job, you must listen to opposing viewpoints to make important decisions. in this activity, you are a consulting dam engineer. you must make a decision about four different dams; should they be repaired, taken down, or left alone? you will listen to contrasting opinions about what should be done with the dams before you make the final decision. as the consulting dam engineer, what do you decide to do with this dam? explain your reasoning. by making your decision, did you support the opinions of the mayor and/or the dam safety official? why or why not? (site 1)

Extensive and unusual cold snaps have occurred here recently. is this evidence that global warming is lessening or not occurring? no—although the long-term trend is for warming, short-term weather patterns can still be variable. no—melting of glaciers and ice caps is making the oceans cooler, which can cause cold snaps. yes-- if global warming really were occurring, cold snaps wouldn’t happen. yes—due to global warming, weather patterns should be become less—not more—variable.