Surface Water
UNIT 6
STANDARDS: NCES 2.3.2, 2.4.1, 2.4.2
LESSON 1

Lesson Objectives

In this lesson, you will learn about:
– What landscape features on earth are
formed and changed by water
• Floodplains
• Deltas
– How surface water moves materials
• Load vs Capacity
– How surface water impacts humans
• Benefits and Hazards
Surface Water Movement

Water Cycle

The continuous recycling
of the planet’s water.
 Evaporation,
condensation,
precipitation, collection
 The sun’s energy drives
the water cycle
Overall Water Cycle *know steps
Steps in the Water Cycle

Precipitation
 Run Off
 Accumulation



Evaporation
 Transpiration
 Condensation
 Precipitation





Snow, Rain, Sleet, Hail
Surface flow of water
Collection of surface
water
Liquid to Gas state
Water from Plants
Gas back to liquid state
(REPEAT CYCLE)
Runoff

What is runoff?  Water that flows on the
surface, down slope, and
may accumulate.
 Vegetation .slows the flow
 Influencing
of runoff
Factors
 Rate of Precipitation
 Soil Composition
 Slope…Angle of land
Stream Systems

Tributaries carry
water to collection
points.

Types of tributaries
–
–
–
–
Brook
Stream
Creek
River

Precipitation that
does not enter the
ground runs off the
surface.
 All streams flow
downslope to a
lower elevation.
Stream Load


Definition
3 Ways of
Transport

All materials carried in the water
are known as stream load.

Solution: Material dissolved
– Dissolved soil or minerals

Suspension
– Parts carried along in the water

Bed Load
– Sand and pebbles pushed along on
the bottom of the flow
Flood Plain

Why

Floodplain definition

A flood occurs when
the water spills over
the sides of the river
onto land.
 The broad flat area
surrounding the
stream bank where
flooding normally
occurs.
 Great farmlands
Floods

Nature

Monitoring

Floods are a natural
occurrence.
 Caused by heavy
accumulations in areas
 Man monitors river depths,
rainfall, and accumulation
areas to issue flood warnings
 US Dept of Geological
Survey monitors rivers for
floods.
Major Floods in the Last 20 Years

New Orleans


North Carolina

Cause: Hurricane
Katrina
Hurricane Floyd
 Hurricane Fran
Human Influences

Harm
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Removal of topsoil
Clearing land
Building dams
Pollutants
Industry
Waste Water
Pesticides
Storm Water






Benefits
Can help remove
pollutants
Can clear river ways
Can be used to
increase cities
Increased sanitation
“River Keepers”
Lesson Review





1. Explain 3 ways a stream carries its load.
2. Why does little water seep into the ground
on steep slopes?
3. Why do people live in floodplains?
4. What is the cost associated with living in a
flood plain?
5. How does a hurricane cause flooding in
North Carolina so far from the coast?