Water and Soil Water and Soil ConservationConservation

Water covers Water covers most of the most of the earth’s surfaceearth’s surface

Our bodies are Our bodies are 90% water90% water

Potable water: Potable water: drinkabledrinkable

Freshwater: flows from the Freshwater: flows from the land to ocean and has little land to ocean and has little or no saltor no salt

Tidewater: the water that Tidewater: the water that flows up the mouth of a river flows up the mouth of a river as the ocean tide rises or as the ocean tide rises or comes incomes in

Food ChainFood ChainBay and ocean --- Bay and ocean --- Insects and shellfish Insects and shellfish ---people, animals, ---people, animals, birdsbirds

Water – Universal SolventWater – Universal Solvent

Causes things to:Causes things to:-rust-rust-corrode-corrode-decompose-decompose-dissolve-dissolve

Purposes of water:Purposes of water:

1.1. Habitat for Habitat for microorganismsmicroorganisms

2.2. Carries life-Carries life-supporting oxygensupporting oxygen

3.3. Gathers and Gathers and transports nutrientstransports nutrients

4.4. Cleans and purifiesCleans and purifies5.5. Neutralizes and Neutralizes and

removes wasteremoves waste

Land provides:Land provides:1. Solid foundation1. Solid foundation2. Nutrition and support for 2. Nutrition and support for plantsplants3. Space for work 3. Space for work and playand play4. Heat and4. Heat and compressioncompression chamberchamberLand erosion: wearing away of soil due to wind & Land erosion: wearing away of soil due to wind &

waterwater

Deserts: areas with Deserts: areas with continuous severe water continuous severe water shortageshortage

Precipitation: rains, snow, Precipitation: rains, snow, sleet, and hailsleet, and hail

Evaporation: change liquid to Evaporation: change liquid to a vapor or gasa vapor or gas

Water table: level below Water table: level below which soil is saturated or which soil is saturated or filled with waterfilled with water

Springs: water held below the Springs: water held below the water table may run out water table may run out onto the surface in the form onto the surface in the form of thisof this

Free/Gravitational water: water that Free/Gravitational water: water that drains out of the soildrains out of the soil

Capillary water: the moisture that plant Capillary water: the moisture that plant roots absorb from the free waterroots absorb from the free water

Hygroscopic water: water held too Hygroscopic water: water held too tightly for plant roots to absorbtightly for plant roots to absorb

Plants will die if their roots can’t get airPlants will die if their roots can’t get air-happens if the soil is saturated-happens if the soil is saturated

Conserving waterConserving water

1.1. Save clean waterSave clean water2.2. Dispose of household products carefullyDispose of household products carefully3.3. Care for lawns, gardens, and farmland Care for lawns, gardens, and farmland

carefullycarefully4.4. Practice sensible Practice sensible pest controlpest control

5. Control water run-off5. Control water run-off6. Control soil erosion6. Control soil erosion7. Avoid spilling gas, fuel, and oil7. Avoid spilling gas, fuel, and oil8. Keep spills from seeping8. Keep spills from seeping9. Maintaining septic system9. Maintaining septic system