NYC’sWaterStory:FromMountainToptoTapMap

TheWaterCycleinTextandImages

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Thewaterweusetodayisthesamewaterthatfellasrainwhendinosaursroamedtheearth.

Initsendlesscycle,wateristheonlysubstancethatnaturallyexistsasasolid,liquidorgas.

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Water’sjourneyfrommountaintoptotapbeginswhenrainandsnowfallonwatersheds,theareasoflandthatcatch,absorb,andcarrywaterdownhilltogentlyandswiftlyflowingstreams.

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Streamsprovidelife-cycleneedsforfishandotheraquaticorganisms.Oxygenistrappedinthefreshwaterasittumblesoverrocksintodeeppools.Overhangingtreebrancheskeepwatercoolasfreshwatercontinuesitsjourney.

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Waterisnaturallyfilteredbythesoilandtreerootsindenseforestsasittravelstowardreservoirs.Thesun’sheatenergyreleasessomewatermoleculesbackintotheatmosphereasgas,continuingthehydrologiccycle.

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ThousandsofskilledworkersconstructeddamsandreservoirstostorelargeamountsofcleanwaterandaqueductstocarryitgreatdistancesbygravityfromwatershedstoNewYorkCity.

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The41-mileOldCrotonAqueductwasthefirsttodeliveracleanandplentifulsupplyofwatertoNewYorkCity.TheHighBridge,completedin1848andhailedasanengineeringmasterpiece,carriedtheaqueductacrosstheHarlemRiveronlargestonearches.

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WaterflowedthroughtheCrotonAqueduct,fillingreservoirswheretheGreatLawninCentralParkandtheNewYorkPublicLibraryonFifthAvenuenowstand.NewYorkersrejoicedin1862whenanotherreservoirwasbuiltinCentralParktosupporttheneedsofagrowingcity.

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Today,thousandsofmilesoftunnelsandpipesdeliveronebilliongallonsofwatereachdayfromtheCroton,Catskill,andDelawarewatershedstomorethan9millionpeople.Howdoyouusewater?Howmuchwaterdoyouthinkyouuse?

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Afterwaterisusedforcooking,bathing,andotheractivities,ittravelsdownthedrainandthroughsewerpipestowastewatertreatmentplantswhereitiscleanedandreturnedsafelytothewaterwayssurroundingNewYorkCity.

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Waterisallaroundus. Weexperienceitinmanydifferentwaysusingallofoursenses.Aswatercyclesthroughitsendlessjourney,weappreciatethatitwillcontinuetonourishusandalllivingthings.