The Hydrosphere

 More than two-thirds of the Earth's surface is covered with water.  Water is found in..  Oceans  Rivers and lakes  Glaciers and icebergs  Underground aquifers and groundwater  The atmosphere  All living things

Of all the water on Earth...  Almost all of it (97.5%) is in the oceans (salt water)  Most of the remaining freshwater is in glaciers

Inland Waters include all the freshwater found on the continents, connecting rivers, lakes and groundwater. The journey of water on land begins with precipitation that deposits it, quite often at high altitudes.  The water then trickles downward, connecting into stream, then rivers.  The water can lead to a lake, or the ocean, or be stored in the soil and in porous rock aquifers (groundwater)

Watersheds A watershed is a geographic area defined by ridges within which all water drains to the same body of water.

Quebec has three major watersheds Hudson Bay Ungava Bay St. Lawrence River

Watersheds are also called Drainage Basins

Factors that affect water flow in a watershed Topography – The shape of the land - how steep are the hills? Geology - What is the rock like? Does it absorb water? Does it have holes? Climate - How much rain and snow does the area get? What is the temperature? Vegetation - Water flow will be slowed by the presence of much vegetation. Human development – Has the ground been covered with asphalt and buildings? Have dams been built?

The Oceans

The Earth’s oceans are inter- connected but 5 main areas are called the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, Indian and Southern Oceans