ENVIRNONMENTAL SCIENCE A

5.1 Our Water Resources

• Surface water includes all aboveground sources, such as lakes, ponds rivers, and streams. 
• Ground water is water that has seeped underground over a long period of time. It can take millions of years to replenish a groundwater source, so once a source is used up, it may not be replenished within our lifetimes.
• Aquifers are underground rock and soil formations that contain groundwater.
• The entire region that is drained by a river is its watershed.
• A recharge zone is the region that water seeps through before reaching a groundwater supply.
• Fresh water is considered a limited source  because only 1% of all water is usable fresh water, it is unevenly distributed and not always in liquid form for human use ( when going through the water cycle)
• Conserving water can be done by using low flow faucets, watering lawns late or early in the day, use only native plants in gardens, shower not bath, ect.
• Nations should use compromise when using water that crosses several countries to reflect the interests of all people.
• If there was no water, life on Earth would cease to exist, if fresh water were to disappear, humans would try to desalinate sea water, which could also have major environmental impacts.