What is a watershed? Walk-In Take out notebook, folder and pencil box and agenda. Answer at the back of your notebook in sentences: What is a watershed?

Answer A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common body of water at the bottom. In other words, a watershed is a section of land where all the water goes from the highest points down to a lowest point, where it collects in a body of water (like a lake), also called a drainage basin.

Factors That Affect a Watershed

Yesterday, we read the article about watersheds Focus on four factors that affect watershed: Gravity Topography (shape of the land) Surface cover (things that are on the land) Human effect (how humans affect the land and water)

Fold your paper to make a mini-book with 4 pages. Number the pages from 1 to 4. Write your name at the top of page 1. Label each page with the info coming up.

Page 1 Main Title: Factors That Affect a Watershed, Name, Period #

Info and pictures Write the information at the top of each page, making sure to leave enough space for illustrations later.

Gravity causes water to travel to the lowest level of land possible. Page 1 - Gravity Gravity causes water to travel to the lowest level of land possible.

Page 2 - Topography 2. Topography is the shape and features of the land, which can affect how water flows downward. vs.

Water from high mountains or hills will flow down faster and with more force. Flat areas will allow water to INFILTRATE (get absorbed) into the ground.

Page 3 – Surface cover 3. Surface cover is what is on the land as water travels, and affects how much water can move and be absorbed. Land with trees and grass absorbs water differently than a parking lot!

Examples of Surface Cover A parking lot creates an impermeable area, that water cannot flow through. Humans must plan areas with grass and sand to allow water to return to the ground.

Page 4 - Human Effect on Watersheds Humans affect the amount and quality of water in a watershed from our activities. Roads and buildings prevent water from flowing back into the ground or to collect downhill in lakes or rivers. Cars leave oil on the road, which gets into the groundwater.

Human Effect on Watersheds - continued Trash and wastes in water end up polluting the water at the bottom of the watershed. Fertilizers and chemicals to make crops grow better can soak into the groundwater and lakes and rivers.

Illustrations Draw a colorful picture to explain each of the factors that can affect a watershed.