Water

water cycle

Evaporation• Heat energy from the sun causes

water in puddles, streams, rivers, seas or lakes to change from a liquid to a water vapor.

• This is called evaporation.

• The vapor rises into the air and collects in clouds.  

Condensation• Water vapor collects in clouds. As the

clouds cool the water vapor condenses into water drops.

• This is called condensation. • These drops fall to the earth as rain,

snow or hail.

Precipitation

• Water falls to the earth from clouds. Mainly as rain, but sometimes as snow and hail.

• This is called precipitation.

Transpiration• Transpiration is the process by which

plants lose water out of their leaves. 

• Transpiration gives evaporation a bit of a hand in getting the water vapor back up into the air.

EvaporationThe vapor rises

CondensationThe Clouds form

PrecipitationThe rain falls

Transpiration

The movement through plants

The Water Cycle Movie

• http://www.brainpop.com/science/ecology/watercycle/index.asp

• Watch the movie

• Take a Quiz

WATERSHEDSWATERSHEDS

Produced by the COMET® Program in partnership withthe National Environmental Education Foundation

Connecting Weather to Connecting Weather to the Environmentthe Environment

What is a watershed?What is a watershed?A watershed is an area of land from A watershed is an area of land from which all runoff drains, or which all runoff drains, or ''shedssheds'' to to the same river, lake, or other body of the same river, lake, or other body of water.water.Runoff-Water travels downhill and enters into rivers and lakes.

Everyone lives in a watershedEveryone lives in a watershed

Your own backyard is part of a watershed.

You’re already in You’re already in one!one!

You don’t need to visit the Grand You don’t need to visit the Grand Canyon to see a watershed.Canyon to see a watershed.

The System of WatershedsThe System of Watersheds

Each is part of a larger Each is part of a larger picture or mosaic.picture or mosaic.

Watersheds are like pieces of Watersheds are like pieces of a puzzle:a puzzle:

A Nested SystemA Nested SystemLarger watersheds contain smaller Larger watersheds contain smaller watersheds, which contain even watersheds, which contain even smaller ones.smaller ones.

Watershed AddressesWatershed AddressesJust as our homes have street Just as our homes have street addresses, our neighborhood addresses, our neighborhood watersheds have environmental watersheds have environmental addresses.addresses.

Where does our water come Where does our water come from?from?

EvaporationEvaporation

Ocean StorageOcean Storage Groundwater flow to oceans

Groundwater flow to oceans

AquifersAquifers

Infiltration into the ground

Infiltration into the ground

SpringsSpringsStreams and riversStreams and rivers

CondensationCondensationPrecipitationPrecipitation

LakesLakes

SnowmeltSnowmelt

All of our freshwater starts as precipitation, All of our freshwater starts as precipitation, which moves continually through the which moves continually through the hydrologic cycle.hydrologic cycle.

The Surface-Groundwater The Surface-Groundwater SystemSystem• Ground Water- flows underground as springs or

underground rivers. Water underground is stored in an aquifer.•Surface and underground water bodies form an inter-Surface and underground water bodies form an inter-connected system. Surface water recharges connected system. Surface water recharges groundwater storage.groundwater storage.•Groundwater also flows up into surface water bodies.Groundwater also flows up into surface water bodies.

Aquifers• Aquifer: a body of saturated rock or

sediment through which water can move easily

Ground Water

• Brain Pop Video• Ground Water Quiz

What is a Water Table?• Water Table-The water table is the

underground depth at which point the ground is totally saturated with water.

• Much of the Earth's water is actually locked up underground, and while it may not be as physically obvious as big lakes and rivers, it is critically important.

• When underground water deposits are large enough to be considered sustainable for use, they are known as aquifers. The water table could also be thought of as the top of the aquifer.

Water Table

Drinking Water SourcesDrinking Water SourcesMost water Most water systemssystems (80%) (80%) in the U.S. use a in the U.S. use a ground water ground water source for source for drinking water, drinking water, but the majority but the majority of the of the populationpopulation (66%) are (66%) are served by served by surface water surface water sources.sources.

Weather & Watersheds: PollutionWeather & Watersheds: PollutionWhat is the most common cause of What is the most common cause of pollution in streams, rivers, and pollution in streams, rivers, and oceans?oceans?•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-x0AJQ5zHQ&feature=fvwrel 1. Dumping of garbage by cities

2. Surface water running off yards, streets, paved lots, and farm

fields3. Trash washed into the ocean

from beaches4. Waste dumped by factories

Sources of PollutionSources of PollutionPrecipitation runoff from farms, lawns, and paved Precipitation runoff from farms, lawns, and paved surfaces is the leading source of water pollution in surfaces is the leading source of water pollution in America today.America today.

What’s in the water?What’s in the water?

Main pollutants:•Fertilizers•Herbicides•Insecticides•Oil, grease, and

toxic chemicals from urban areas•Sediment•Road Salt•Bacteria and Nitrogen•Air pollutants

Protecting Watersheds: Protecting Watersheds: What You Can Do EverydayWhat You Can Do Everyday

Simple Ways to Protect Your WatershedSimple Ways to Protect Your Watershed• Don’t Dump or LitterDon’t Dump or Litter• Water and Landscape WiselyWater and Landscape Wisely• Control the FlowControl the Flow• Pick up After RoverPick up After Rover• Fix that LeakFix that Leak• Participate in a CleanupParticipate in a Cleanup• http

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku5dgUtXcLo&feature=related

Terracing

• Terracing-Terracing is a soil conservation practice applied to prevent rainfall runoff on sloping land from accumulating and causing serious erosion. It also helps collect run-off.

What is a Basin?• Basin is an extent or an area of land where

surface water from rain and melting snow or ice gathers to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another water body, such as a river, lake, or ocean.

What is a Spring?

• A spring is a point where water flows out of the ground. A spring may flow the whole year or only sometimes. This depends on the water getting into the ground all of the time (rain) or only once in a while (snow melting).

What is a Cone of Depression?• A cone of depression occurs in an

aquifer when groundwater is pumped from a well.

• A cone results from changing groundwater flow direction. As the well pulls water up from underground, soils falls inward, which creates a cone shape.