1. Human Impacts on Watersheds
TEKS 7.8C model the effects of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed

2. What is a Watershed???
A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place.

3. What makes up a Watershed???
Surface water- is any water located or collected on Earth’s surface. Example: any runoff, stream, pond, river, lake, wetland, or ocean.
Groundwater- is water located beneath the Earth’s surface. Example: aquifer, underground river.

4. How do humans impact Watersheds???
Any contaminant that is in the soil can lead to pollution of ground and surface water. Pollutants can soak through the ground (groundwater) or be washed away with runoff (surfacewater).

5. Fertilizers

6. Cleared land

7. Barnyards

8. Homeowners

9. Commuters

10. Antifreeze
Oils

11. Carwashes

12. Tourists

13. Watershed Misconceptions:
Groundwater doesn’t get polluted because the water/ pollution are filtered by the substrate. Groundwater pollutants can come from underground sources. Whatever polluted surface water will likely enter the groundwater.
Water traveling into storm sewers ends up treated at the local wastewater treatment plant. This water actually travels from storm drains into local streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes, and ultimately into the ocean.