1. Lakes, Ponds Wetlands, Streams, Rivers, and Groundwater
Fresh Water Systems
Lakes, Ponds Wetlands, Streams, Rivers, and Groundwater
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

2. Freshwater systems
Exist above ground in lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands
Exist as ground water
Exist in the air as water vapour.
Exist in three different states:
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

3. Lake Ponds + Wetlands
Lakes and ponds are holes in the ground filled with water
Lake is deeper Sunlight does not go to the bottom (depending on clarity the amount of dissolved solids suspended in the water)
Wetlands are low areas that are almost always saturated with water. Wetlands provide a habitat for a surprising number of organisms
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

4. Streams and rivers
Flowing waterways Fast flowing rivers and streams are usually rich in oxygen
Stream or river profile is a description of its characteristics:
Flow rate
Steepness of bed
Erosion rate of its’ banks
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

5. Streams and rivers cont’
Source of streams and rivers may be high in the mountains (melting snow and ice from glaciers)
Small streams gather into one channel forming a river.
In the early stages flow is swift and the river is fairly straight.
As the river reaches lower elevations it slows and meanders (curves.) It begins to drop the sediment it was carrying to form deltas. Really good example: Fraser River flowing to Vancouver.
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

6. Streams and rivers cont’
The Fraser River begins in the mountains ends in the Pacific Ocean
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

7. Watershed Also called a drainage Basin
It is all the area of land that drains into one main body of water.
It can contain streams rivers lakes.
The location of the highest land on the continent determines the direction of the flow. This is called the continental divide. In N. America, it’s the Rocky Mountains.
The river begins at the Headwaters and ends at the Outflow usually at the mouth of the river.
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

8. 7 Major Watersheds in Alberta
Peace/Slave + Athabasca + Hay River flow into Arctic Ocean
Beaver + North and South Saskatchewan Rivers flow into Hudson’s Bay
Milk River flows into the Gulf of Mexico
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

9. Run-off and Erosion Moving water is a powerful force.
Washes soil away wears away or dissolves rock (universal solvent remember?)
The sediment load of the river/stream is determined by the flow, steepness, vegetation, what the banks and bottom are made of (rock or soil)
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

10. Why is monitoring sediment important?
When we know how much and what makes up the sediment in rivers and streams we can determine the source of pollutants and measure their impact on plants, animals and our drinking water supply.
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

11. Project for this topic A webquest Individual work
Small groups (groups of 3 students)
Presentations
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

12. What is this Webquest
The quest begins with role-play. Acting as members of a Watershed Advisory Task Force, students will work on the development of a new water policy, first as individuals and then as part of a team. The quest culminates with each team presenting their recommendations to Alberta Environment (the class).
We will quickly discover we all live downstream.
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3

13. What are the timelines? Class 1 today, review topic, pick groups.
Classes research stakeholder point of view.
Class 4 put together team presentation
Class 5 make presentations (may need 1 extra day)
Science 8 Unit 5 Topic 3