CH 5: WATER 5.1 Our Water Resources

Water, water everywhere! 71% of Earth’s surface is covered with water 97% is salt water, 2.6% is freshwater www.freedrinkingwater.com

Saltwater is stored in oceans. Freshwater is stored in icecaps, glaciers, groundwater, surface water and water vapor in the atmosphere. Most of the freshwater is frozen solid (2%), leaving VERY little available for use. www.srpnet.com

Water is a renewable resource! endlessly circulated in the water cycle updatecenter.britannica.com

Paths of precipitated water run-off – lakes, rivers, streams forming surface water 1. melting ice 2. useful for recreation, travel and drinking www.fayettecountygroundwater.com

Watershed- entire area that is drained by a river h2o.enr.state.nc.us

The amount of surface water depends on the amount of rainfall. OUR SURFACE WATER IS DEPLETING! www.ci.lenoir.nc.us

groundwater water that has soaked into the ground Water soaks or infiltrates the soil or “recharge zone” and then percolates downward through air spaces between rocks, gravel and dirt. jnuenvis.nic.in

aquifers Large amounts of groundwater are found in these areas in underground rock underground storage for water drinking water and agriculture slow to fill, we pump out too fast www.emporia.edu

shortages and conservation Techniques to prevent water shortages 1. Desalination – removing salt by distillation (boiling) and reverse osmosis (a membrane that blocks the salt). Both techniques are expensive! 2. transport 3. conservation

www.telegraph.co.uk www.water-technology.net

Ways to conserve water: using low-flow faucets and shower heads turning off the tap while you brush teeth or shave water lawns at night to reduce evaporation ETC.! sueannsnwprblog blogspot.com www.oakharbor.org