Surface Water

UNIT 6STANDARDS: NCES 2.3.2, 2.4.1, 2.4.2LESSON 1

Lesson Objectives

In this lesson, you will learn about:– What landscape features on earth are

formed and changed by water• Floodplains• Deltas

– How surface water moves materials• Load vs Capacity

– How surface water impacts humans• Benefits and Hazards

Surface Water Movement

Water Cycle The continuous recycling of the planet’s water.

Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection

The sun’s energy drives the water cycle

Overall Water Cycle *know steps

Steps in the Water Cycle

Precipitation Run Off Accumulation

Evaporation Transpiration Condensation Precipitation

Snow, Rain, Sleet, Hail Surface flow of water Collection of surface

water Liquid to Gas state Water from Plants Gas back to liquid state (REPEAT CYCLE)

Runoff

What is runoff?

Influencing Factors

Water that flows on the surface, down slope, and may accumulate.

Vegetation .slows the flow of runoff

Rate of Precipitation Soil Composition Slope…Angle of land

Stream Systems

Tributaries carry water to collection points.

Types of tributaries– Brook– Stream– Creek– River

Precipitation that does not enter the ground runs off the surface.

All streams flow downslope to a lower elevation.

Stream Load

Definition

3 Ways of Transport

All materials carried in the water are known as stream load.

Solution: Material dissolved– Dissolved soil or minerals

Suspension– Parts carried along in the water

Bed Load– Sand and pebbles pushed along on

the bottom of the flow

Flood Plain

Why

Floodplain definition

A flood occurs when the water spills over the sides of the river onto land.

The broad flat area surrounding the stream bank where flooding normally occurs.

Great farmlands

Floods

Nature

Monitoring

Floods are a natural occurrence.

Caused by heavy accumulations in areas

Man monitors river depths, rainfall, and accumulation areas to issue flood warnings

US Dept of Geological Survey monitors rivers for floods.

Major Floods in the Last 20 Years

New Orleans

North Carolina

Cause: Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Fran

Human Influences

Harm– Removal of topsoil– Clearing land– Building dams– Pollutants– Industry– Waste Water– Pesticides– Storm Water

Benefits Can help remove

pollutants Can clear river ways Can be used to

increase cities Increased sanitation “River Keepers”

Lesson Review

1. Explain 3 ways a stream carries its load. 2. Why does little water seep into the ground

on steep slopes? 3. Why do people live in floodplains? 4. What is the cost associated with living in a

flood plain? 5. How does a hurricane cause flooding in

North Carolina so far from the coast?