1. Introduction to Watershed Dynamics
Unit 1: The Hydrosphere

2. Dynamic Relationships
Bodies of water are continuously changing (provide an example of each)
Physically
Chemically
Biologically
Interact with the surrounding
landscape
Humans are an integral part

3. Watersheds
The region of land that contributes to a stream, river, pond, lake or other body of water
Watershed divide – boundary between watersheds
What land features would divide watersheds?
Rain drops falling within feet of each other can go to different watersheds!

4. Mississippi Bay Watershed – are we in this one?
Extends 2350 miles upstream! (but the time it’s reached you in New Orleans it’s gone through significant processing.
40 percent of the 48 continental United States

5. Watershed Characteristics
Geological – bedrock, terrain, glacial presence (sand and gravel)
Climate – precipitation, temperature, winds
Vegetation – types of plants impact presence of other organisms

6. Potentially unfamiliar terms: transpiration and percolation (to groundwater—source for wells and springs, also slowly trickles into other bodies of water)
Percolation to

7. Water on Earth 97% salt water! Where does the other 3% reside?
Ice Caps/Glaciers/Permanent Snow/Permafrost
Groundwater
Fresh bodies of water (i.e. lakes and wetlands)
Only 0.3%! So how much is accessible?
Soil moisture
Atmosphere

8. Wetlands
Heavily vegetated, saturated with water for at least part of the year
Help to reduce flooding by storing great volumes of water
Purify water (act as a filter)
Sediments are filtered out
Pollutants are broken down
Support diversity of Life

9. Competing Needs of Water
Humans use water to
Irrigate crops
Generate power
Support a wide-range of daily applications
We use liters of water per day (per
household)
Water use policies are created but they create controversy – what should take precedence?
Irrigating crops or a water park?
Residential development or protecting a wetland?
Relate to don’t be a drip, save a drop!

10. Activity: Representing Our Water
Figure 1.2, Table 1.1, or Table 1.2 (see handout)
Reproduce or expand on the given information:
Groups of no more than 3 (to a large sheet of paper)
School supplies are available by the fire extinguisher
Use images/words where not originally given – try to reach multiple audiences
Feel free to access outside resources to supplement
Suggestions
Figure: define the terms, add images, use color
Tables: draw pictures, make a graph, use color
Should have gotten to last class.