1. River Systems
Earth Science
Fall 2017

2. What are rivers and streams?
Both of these terms refer to water flowing on the Earth’s surface.
Rivers and streams both start at some “higher point”. This could be a mountain or it could be a hill.
Rivers and streams will eventually run into the ocean.

3. North Carolina’s Major Rivers
The major rivers in North Carolina are:
The Neuse River
The Cape Fear River
Roanoke River
Nantahala River
Tar River
Catawba and Yadkin Rivers

5. How are rivers and streams different?
Both a river and a stream are flowing bodies of water.
A river is larger, longer and faster moving than a stream.
You can step across a stream but you can not step across a river.

6. What is the area around a river called?
The area of land around a river or stream from which the surface runoff drains is called the watershed.
What is a watershed?

7. The Neuse Watershed

8. How do people use rivers?
Source for drinking water
Irrigation of crops
Produce electricity (hydroelectric power)
Recreation
Food source
Drainage and waste evacuation

9. What are the consequences of our use of rivers?
JUST a few are….
Literally draining the levels of water in the rivers due to overconsumption.
Depletion of food sources
Pollution from runoff and direct dumping of substances.

10. What is an aquifer, you ask?
It is an underground rock and cave system that holds water.

11. How does water end up in an aquifer and what can happen to it?
Water enters an aquifer when it sinks through the ground.
Water in an aquifer is considered to be ground water.
Wells can be drilled into aquifers so that water can be pumped out.

12. Why don’t aquifers exist EVERYWHERE?
In order for an aquifer to exist, the rock must be porous enough to allow water to move through it. The rock must also be permeable to water.

13. Are there benefits to using water from aquifers?
Aquifers are natural filters that trap sediment and other things such as bacteria.
They provide natural purification of water flowing through them.

14. What are the drawbacks of using water from aquifers?
IF the rocks and minerals that make up an aquifer are high in substances such as iron, the water coming from that particular aquifer may cause iron staining.
Sometimes substances found in the rocks such as fluoride, uranium and arsenic may cause health concerns.

15. How is an aquifer contaminated?
Things that we do on the surface of the Earth can filtrate through to the aquifer and contaminate the water.

16. Aquifer Depletion

17. What is a flood?
A flood is an overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines.

18. What are the consequences of a flood?
Positive
Negative
Recharge ground water resources
Maintaining key ecosystem functions and biodiversity
Fill wetlands.
Move sediments and nutrients around the landscape
Loss of human life
Damage to property
Destruction of crops
Loss of livestock
Deterioration of health conditions (water quality)