SOURCES OF WATER OF EARTH 6 th Grade Earth Science S6E3a

 Life is possible on earth due to the presence of water. Nearly three-fourths of the earth's surface is covered with water. Water is also found below the earth's surface. It is present in air in the form of water vapor. About 70 per cent of the human body is water. The bodies of all plants and animals contain water.

 Sources of Water:  Rain Water  Surface Water  Underground Water

RAIN WATER:  Rain water collects on the earth in the form of surface water and underground water.  Q. What controls the amount of water falling to the Earth? A. The Water cycle A. And most importantly the SUN!!

SURFACE WATER:  Water present on the surface of the earth in the form of oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds and streams is called surface water. The water in rivers and lakes comes from rain and melting of snow on mountains. Rivers flow into the sea.  Surface water can be contaminated by rainwater runoff from homes, businesses, roads and parking lots. Fertilizer and pesticide from lawns and gardens as well as fluids that leak from autos can all get washed into surface water supplies from rainwater runoff.

UNDERGROUND WATER:  Some of the rainwater seeps through the soil on to the non- porous rocks below. This is underground water. Sometimes due to high pressure, this water sprouts out in the form of springs. It can be obtained by digging wells, sinking tube wells, etc.

 This cut-away image depicts a typical private residential well. Residents who have a private well get their water from a groundwater source (something we call an aquifer ). aquifer

SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER (ARE THEY CONNECTED?)  Absolutely YES! Groundwater provides the base for surface water (something we call baseflow). In overdeveloped areas such as Atlanta, Georgia so much groundwater has been removed that some lakes and streams have almost completely dried up!