North Carolina River basins and water sheds Notebook Page 28 North Carolina River basins and water sheds

How exactly DOES water “run-off?”

Remember our WATER CYCLE?

Remember our WATER CYCLE? Do you remember the awful dance Mr. G does?

Most precipitation falls where?

Most precipitation falls where? Most precipitation falls in the ocean.

Most precipitation falls where? Most precipitation falls in the ocean. Why?

Most precipitation falls where? Most precipitation falls in the ocean. Why? Nearly ¾ our planet is covered by oceans.

Does this precipitation remain freshwater?

Does this precipitation remain freshwater? No, it is absorbed by the ocean & turns salty itself.

Does this precipitation remain freshwater? No, it is absorbed by the ocean & turns salty itself. Why does fresh water become salt water in the ocean?

Does this precipitation remain freshwater? No, it is absorbed by the ocean & turns salty itself. Why does fresh water become salt water in the ocean? Water is the ____________ _________.

Does this precipitation remain freshwater? No, it is absorbed by the ocean & turns salty itself. Why does fresh water become salt water in the ocean? Water is the UNIVERSAL SOLVENT….it love to ___________ all sorts of stuff like salt.

Does this precipitation remain freshwater? No, it is absorbed by the ocean & turns salty itself. Why does fresh water become salt water in the ocean? Water is the UNIVERSAL SOLVENT….it love to dissolve all sorts of stuff like salt.

Still, about ___% of precipitation falls over land.

Still, about 30% of precipitation falls over land.

Where does this water go?

Where does this water go?

A lot of it seeps into the ground through __________ rock,

A lot of it seeps into the ground through permeable rock,

…into aquifers we can access via _______ & springs.

…into aquifers we can access via (by) wells & springs.

But what about the rest of our precipitation that hits land & doesn’t go underground?

Draw an outline of your hand in your notebook.

Label your entire hand “drainage basin and/or river basin” LAND Drainage/River Basins are all of the land in which water flows on top of.

Label all your fingers watersheds Water sheds are all of the paths water takes on top of a basin. Examples include rivers, streams, creeks, channels, and other tributaries. Can you name a watershed in the Catawba River Basin? LAND

But what about the rest of our rain that hits land & doesn’t go underground? RUN-OFF!

Run-off happens over areas called DRAINAGE or RIVER BASINS.

Run-off happens over LAND areas called DRAINAGE or RIVER BASINS.

Drainage/river basins allow water to flow down from highlands called DIVIDES.

Divides separate drainage basins. Water sheds Water sheds Divide Drainage Basins Drainage Basins Divide

Drainage/river basins allow water to flow down from highlands called DIVIDES. There, gravity takes control & water moves towards a big river…

Drainage/river basins allow water to flow down from highlands called DIVIDES. There, gravity takes control & water moves towards a big river out to sea.

North Carolina has 17 river basins. Show map

North Carolina has 17 river basins. 17 different paths that run-off DRAINS back into the ocean.

And each river basin is made of smaller WATERSHEDS.

And each river basin is made of smaller WATERSHEDS. little streams, creeks, tributaries that run into a big river

And each river basin is made of smaller WATERSHEDS. little streams, creeks, tributaries that run into a big river Can you see the watersheds in this big river basin?

And each river basin is made of smaller WATERSHEDS. Here is a smaller watershed.

And each river basin is made of smaller WATERSHEDS. Here’s another small watershed.

And each river basin is made of smaller WATERSHEDS. Another smaller watershed…

How many smaller watersheds are in this river/drainage basin?

How many smaller watersheds are in this river/drainage basin? At least 9, maybe more?

How about us? Whoa, that’s a lot of watersheds.

Bailey Middle School is located right near a divide.

Bailey Middle is located right near a divide.

North Carolina RIVER BASIN POSTER PROJECT… Water Cycle Promethean

Choose Any 3 NC River Basins and Describe them. Estuary River Basin 1. 2. 3. Define the following: Estuary River Basin Watershed Ground Water Ecosystem Open Promethean: Water Cycle Promethean 5 Largest Basins (Area) (Name and Size) 2. 3. 4. 5. Draw A River Basin Pg. 1 3 Weirdest Creatures 1. 2. 3. 3 Largest Basins Pop 1. (Name and Size) 2. 3. 3 Smallest Basins Pop 1. (Name and Size) 2. 3. Draw One