The Water Cycle

The Water Cycle THE SUN DRIVES THE WATER CYCLE.

The Water Cycle THE SUN DRIVES THE WATER CYCLE.

The Water Cycle THE SUN DRIVES THE WATER CYCLE.

The Water Cycle THE SUN DRIVES THE WATER CYCLE.

Why Study Water? Only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater. Only 30% of ALL freshwater is in liquid form: 1% on the surface 29% underground

THE WATER CYCLE GLACIERS Snow falls onto mountains and stays a long time (10s of 1,000s of years). When it finally melts, it provides water for streams and rivers.

THE WATER CYCLE: Surface Water Surface water comes from precipitation and moves due to gravity.

THE WATER CYCLE: Surface Water Surface water runs downhill due to gravity. The area of land that contributes water to a river system is called a watershed.

THE WATER CYCLE: Surface Water All of the precipitation that falls inside this area, eventually flows out this outlet into the sea.

WATERSHEDS All of the precipitation that falls inside this area, eventually flows out this outlet into the sea.

WATERSHEDS This is not the only watershed in Connecticut.

Major Watersheds in Connecticut ns1130

Major Watersheds in Connecticut HKHS South Central Coastal ns1130 Parker Hill Rd Long Island Sound

Some surface water eventually becomes GROUNDWATER

Groundwater – water that soaks (infiltrates/percolates) into the ground from rain or melted snow.

GROUND WATER Layer of permeable rock or sediment.

Ground Water Zones Water Table – Boundary at the top of the groundwater zone.

Ground Water Zones Water Table – Boundary at the top of the groundwater zone. Zone of Saturation is an AQUIFER

Ground Water Aquifer – Layer of permeable rock or sediment. Notice the RECHARGE ZONE

Ground Water Aquifer – Layer of permeable rock or sediment. Aquifers are “recharged” by precipitation filtering into permeable soils.

Aquifers provide water for wells.

97% of water on the earth is in the oceans. THE WATER CYCLE  Oceans: where it all ends up going.   Rivers, streams and runoff carry all of the water AND EVERYTHING ELSE from the land into the oceans. When water gets into the oceans, it mixes and becomes salty. 97% of water on the earth is in the oceans.

DID YOU KNOW? About ½ of 1% of the water on earth is groundwater Only about 1/100 of 1% of the water on earth is in the rivers and lakes It takes 39,090 gallons of water to make a new car, including tires Over 17,000,000 houses use private wells for their drinking water supply A person can live about a month without food, but can live only about 1 week without water