Stream Study

Agenda • The Water Cycle• Water, Water, Everywhere• What is a Riparian Buffer• The Question: Is our local

stream healthy?• The Methods• The Analysis• The Extensions

What is the Water Cycle?

Put the following words into sequence:Condensation

Evaporation

Transpiration

Precipitation

Is water a renewable resource?

Water, Water, Everywhere - Apple as the Earth

1. How much of the Earth is water?

2. How much of the water is salt water?

3. How of the fresh water is in glaciers?

4. How much of fresh water is underground?

5. How much fresh water is in lakes, ponds, and rivers?

The Watershed

What is a watershed?

• It is land that drains into the same body of water after a rain.

• Many smaller watersheds make up larger watersheds.

The Watershed

Where does water in our homes come from?

• WSSC, 8th largest utility company in the US, collects water in the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers. These rivers are formed from rain that drains in Montgomery County, northern MD and PA, which are also part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. (www.wsscwater.com – kids page)

• WSSC treats the water and it is piped to homes.

The Watershed

Where does our water go when it is used?

• The WSSC collects the wastewater from homes and sends it to wastewater plants (factories).

• WSSC cleans the water - cleaner than the water in the streams- and pumps it back into a nearby stream.

The WatershedWhat kinds of things do you think can damage our water and

watershed?

• Trash• Fertilizer• Pesticide• Erosion – sediment• Chemical dumping• Street runoff

• What is the difference between point and non-point pollution?

Riparian Buffers – What are they? Why are they important?

Trees and Plants!

• The trees hold onto the soil: their roots anchor the soil so the soil does not go into the water. Why do you think sediment in the water is a bad thing?

• Trees and their roots help filter the rain water so that impurities are removed before the water enters the streams and ponds.

Riparian Buffers – What are they? Why are they important?

Trees and Plants!

• The trees keep the water cooler in the summer. Why do you think temperature is important?

• The trees provide habitat for many organisms. What kinds of animals could you see in our forests?

The WatershedFrom the evidence collected today, is our local

watershed healthy? Support your answer.

What types of things can be done to reduce negative human impact within the watershed?

How do you think the stream near your school or home would compare?

“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth.  We are all crew.” 

~ Marshall McLuhan, 1964 .