WATERSHEDSWATERSHEDS66thth Grade Science Grade Science

LDCLDC

Watersheds:Watersheds:

1. What is a watershed?2. Movement of Water Through

Watershed3. Human Impact

What is a watershed?What is a watershed?A watershed is an area of land from A watershed is an area of land from which all runoff drains, or which all runoff drains, or ''shedssheds'' to to the same river, lake, or other body of the same river, lake, or other body of water.water.

What is a watershed: Everyone What is a watershed: Everyone lives in a watershedlives in a watershed

Your own backyard is part of a watershed.

You don’t need to visit the Delaware You don’t need to visit the Delaware River to see a watershed. You’re River to see a watershed. You’re already in one!already in one!

The System of WatershedsThe System of Watersheds Each is part of a larger Each is part of a larger picture or mosaic.picture or mosaic.

Watersheds are like pieces of Watersheds are like pieces of a puzzle:a puzzle:

A Nested SystemA Nested SystemWatersheds are also like Russian Watersheds are also like Russian MatryoshkaMatryoshka or nesting dolls. Larger or nesting dolls. Larger watersheds contain smaller watersheds contain smaller watersheds, which contain even watersheds, which contain even smaller ones.smaller ones.

Watershed AddressesWatershed AddressesJust as our homes have street Just as our homes have street addresses, our neighborhood addresses, our neighborhood watersheds have environmental watersheds have environmental addresses.addresses.

PA’s WatershedsPA’s Watersheds

Malvern

Movement of Water through Movement of Water through WatershedWatershed

Evaporation

Ocean Storage Groundwater flow to oceans

Aquifers

Infiltration into the ground

SpringsStreams and rivers

Condensation Precipitation

Lakes

Snowmelt

All of our freshwater starts as precipitation, All of our freshwater starts as precipitation, which moves continually through the water which moves continually through the water cycle (also known as the hydrologic cycle)cycle (also known as the hydrologic cycle)

Human Impact: How do we use

water? 1. Drinking Water-Water must be

treated to ensure water quality

2. Water use in the home 3. Agriculture / Irrigation4. Business / Industry

Human Impact on Watersheds:Human Impact on Watersheds:Some Examples…Some Examples…

1. Dumping of garbage by cities/ waste dumped by factories

2. Sewage/Human Waste3. Run off in cities and from

farms4. Acid Rain – Smoke and exhaust

combining with precipitation5. Agricultural chemicals may

lead to more algae (eutrophication)

Human Impact: Sources of Human Impact: Sources of PollutionPollutionPrecipitation runoff from farms, lawns, and paved Precipitation runoff from farms, lawns, and paved

surfaces is the leading source of water pollution in surfaces is the leading source of water pollution in America today.America today.

Human Impact: What’s in the Human Impact: What’s in the water?water?

Main pollutants:•Fertilizers•Pesticides•Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban areas•Sediment•Road Salt•Bacteria and Nitrogen•Air pollutants

Protecting Watersheds: Protecting Watersheds: What You Can Do EverydayWhat You Can Do EverydaySimple Ways to Protect Your Simple Ways to Protect Your

WatershedWatershed• Conserve waterConserve water• Don’t dump or litterDon’t dump or litter• Cleanup watershedCleanup watershed• Water and landscape wiselyWater and landscape wisely• Be aware of environmental lawsBe aware of environmental laws