Water: Its Water: Its Important!Important!

Mr. EllisMr. Ellis

Do NowDo Now

Why do you think water is Why do you think water is important? What does it do for you?important? What does it do for you?

How Much Water?How Much Water?

So, the planet is made of 70% water, So, the planet is made of 70% water, that means that we have SO much? that means that we have SO much? Right?Right?

Well, not necessarily.Well, not necessarily.

Although we have a lot of water, not all Although we have a lot of water, not all of it is readily available for use. of it is readily available for use.

A lot of this water is trapped.A lot of this water is trapped.

Question 1Question 1

Write down how you think the water Write down how you think the water is trapped?is trapped?

Ocean WaterOcean Water

Approximately Approximately 97% of all 97% of all water is found water is found in the Oceans in the Oceans of the world. of the world.

Is this water Is this water usable*?usable*?

Question 2Question 2

What does usable mean?What does usable mean?

Salt WaterSalt Water

Salt WaterSalt Water 97% of the Earth’s 97% of the Earth’s

waterwater We cannot drink this We cannot drink this

water, or use it to water, or use it to water most plant water most plant life.life.

We can only use this We can only use this water if we use a water if we use a very expensive very expensive process called process called Desalination*.Desalination*.

Fresh Water*Fresh Water* 3% of the Earth’s 3% of the Earth’s

waterwater We know that we can We know that we can

drink fresh water. drink fresh water. But there’s still some But there’s still some

problems with fresh problems with fresh water. water.

Some of it is Some of it is trapped*. trapped*.

Let’s find out how its Let’s find out how its trapped.trapped.

Most Fresh is FrozenMost Fresh is Frozen So we have 3% So we have 3%

fresh water. But fresh water. But most of this is most of this is trapped.trapped.

Most of the fresh Most of the fresh water is trapped in water is trapped in Ice.Ice.

This includes This includes Glaciers, Snow, and Glaciers, Snow, and Ice Caps.Ice Caps.

Of the 3% of Fresh Of the 3% of Fresh Water, <70% of it is Water, <70% of it is trapped in Ice.trapped in Ice.

Running Out of WaterRunning Out of Water OK, so I think we OK, so I think we

might have a might have a problem.problem.

If most of the fresh If most of the fresh water is trapped in water is trapped in ice, how much do we ice, how much do we have for drinking, have for drinking, agriculture, and life agriculture, and life in general?in general?

So where do we get So where do we get our fresh water our fresh water from?from?

Ground Water*Ground Water* Some fresh water is found Some fresh water is found

in the ground.in the ground.

Does anyone have a well Does anyone have a well at home?at home?

Has anyone dug a whole Has anyone dug a whole in the ground, and water in the ground, and water started to come up?started to come up?

Of the <3% of Fresh Of the <3% of Fresh Water, 30% is found in Water, 30% is found in Ground Water. Ground Water.

But there is a problem But there is a problem with ground water. Not with ground water. Not all of it can be retrieved. all of it can be retrieved.

Surface Water*Surface Water*

Surface water is Surface water is water that is water that is readily available readily available for use. for use.

Examples: Ponds, Examples: Ponds, Lakes, Rivers, Lakes, Rivers, Streams, PuddlesStreams, Puddles

Of the 3% of Of the 3% of fresh water, .3% fresh water, .3% is Surface water. is Surface water.

.3%.3%

So what have we learned?So what have we learned? Even though Earth has a lot of water, Even though Earth has a lot of water,

we cannot use most of it.we cannot use most of it. Most of it is trapped in the oceans, Most of it is trapped in the oceans,

ground, or is frozen. ground, or is frozen. Only a very small amount, .3%, is Only a very small amount, .3%, is

able to be used by life (fresh water). able to be used by life (fresh water). So we need to preserve as much So we need to preserve as much

water as possible!water as possible!

ConclusionConclusion

The Earth is 70% WaterThe Earth is 70% Water 97% is Salt Water (we can’t drink this)97% is Salt Water (we can’t drink this) 3% is Fresh Water3% is Fresh Water

<70% of Fresh water is frozen<70% of Fresh water is frozen <30% of Fresh water is ground water<30% of Fresh water is ground water .3% is Fresh Usable Water (Surface Water).3% is Fresh Usable Water (Surface Water)

It is very important to conserve our It is very important to conserve our water, we don’t have much of it. water, we don’t have much of it.