Question

safe yield is a sustainable groundwater management strategy. it refers to the annual amount of water that can be taken from a groundwater source, such as an aquifer, without depleting the source faster than the natural rate of replenishment. the goal of safe yield is to achieve a long-term balance between the amount of water withdrawn (pumped) and the amount of recharge (natural refill). by setting limits on how much water can be taken, safe yield helps protect groundwater sources for future generations.

text 2

safe yield is not as sustainable as many people claim it is. in theory, it focuses on balancing groundwater withdrawal from an aquifer with the aquifer’s natural recharge rates. however, it doesn’t consider the natural outflow of water from the aquifer into bodies of water like springs and streams. even if humans pump at the safe yield rate, pumping can still lead to long-term water level decline and potentially negative impacts on spring and stream ecosystems.

based on the texts, how would the author of text 2 most likely respond to the claims about safe yield in text 1?

choose 1 answer:
a by arguing that safe yield may not be sustainable, as it doesn’t account for the natural outflow of water from aquifers into rivers and streams
b by explaining that safe yield requires more advanced water-pumping technologies than are currently available, though it could become a viable strategy in the future
c by agreeing that safe yield is an effective water management method that preserves water for future generations
d by asserting that safe yield is a sustainable strategy for managing surface water systems like lakes and reservoirs, but not for managing groundwater systems like aquifers

Explanation:

Text 1 presents safe yield as a sustainable groundwater management strategy that balances withdrawal and recharge. Text 2 argues safe yield is not as sustainable because it ignores the natural outflow of water from aquifers to springs and streams, which can still cause water level decline and ecosystem impacts. Option A matches this critique. Option B introduces technology not discussed. Option C agrees with Text 1, conflicting with Text 2's stance. Option D misrepresents Text 2's focus (it's about groundwater's outflow, not surface vs. groundwater systems).

Answer:

A. By arguing that safe yield may not be sustainable, as it doesn't account for the natural outflow of water from aquifers into rivers and streams