Although water covers over 70 percent of the Earth, less than 1

percent (0.3%) is available as freshwater for human use.

The vast majority of the

water on this “blue planet”
is found in the ocean, and
is salt-water. It is
unusable to us.
Of the freshwater
available on Earth, about
two-thirds is frozen in
ice caps and glaciers,
which leaves only a small
fraction accessible for
human use.
 Freshwater
Surface water - such as that in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and
streams—is the primary water source for humans. (0.3%)

Groundwater - water
underground in aquifers
(highly permeable
rocks, soil, and sand)—
can be extracted through
wells or found as springs.
This is NOT our primary
source!
TOO EXPENSIVE!!!

Can cost over $1,000 per acre-

foot to desalinate (unsalt)
seawater to make it available for
human use.
 Did you know?
• There
There is
is the
the SAME
SAME
water
water on
on Earth
Earth as
as there
there
was
was when
when the
the Earth
Earth
was
was formed.
formed. The
The water
water
from
from your
your faucet
faucet could
could
contain
contain molecules
molecules that
that
dinosaurs
dinosaurs drank.
drank.

HOW is that possible?

 The Water Cycle
Water is constantly being renewed in the water
cycle!
My Life Cycle
As the sun warms the
water I EVAPORATE
and become a gas.
When rising I group
with other water
molecules because of
the cool air to form
clouds.
CONDENSATION
 Cool air at the top of
the mountain prevents
me from going higher. I
fall to the ground in the
form of
PRECIPITATION
I RUNOFF
Into streams, rivers,
lakes and oceans!

I RUNOFF into
Streams, lakes
And the ocean
I may also
INFILTRATE
The soil.
“I sometimes TRANSPIRE out of a Plant!”
“Yep, even those plants.”
 A short Water Cycle Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=StPobH5ODTw&feature=related
 The Water Cycle Rap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=i3NeMVBcXXU
Water Cycle Vocabulary Terms
 Evaporation
The turning of liquid water into a gas
 Transpiration
• Water
Water evaporating
evaporating from
from plant
plant leaves
leaves
 Condensation
• Water
Water turning
turning from
from aa gas
gas into
into aa liquid
liquid
 Precipitation
• Water
Water falling
falling back
back to
to Earth
Earth in
in the
the form
form of
of
rain,
rain, snow,
snow, sleet
sleet or
or hail
hail
 Runof
• Water
Water flowing
flowing over
over the
the Earth’s
Earth’s surface
surface
 Infiltration
• Infiltration
Infiltration is
is the
the process
process by
by which
which water
water enters
enters the
the soil
soil
from
from the
the ground
ground surface.
surface.
• Will only happen if there is room available for additional
water in the soil.
• If no room is available,
then runof
runof occurs.
 Percolation
• The
The movement
movement of
of water
water through
through the
the soil
soil
 Humans affect the cycle…
• Create
Create dams
dams and
and reservoirs
reservoirs for
for use,
use, irrigation,
irrigation, electricity
electricity