Jasmine Cook, Seth Berryhill, Angelique Phillips, & Brooklyn Isaacs

Roughly 97.5% of water on earth resides in oceans and is too salty cant drink or water crops. Only 2.5% is considered “fresh water” Most fresh water is located in glaciers, icecaps, and underground aquifers. As water moves it redistributes heat, erodes mountain ranges, builds river deltas, etc…

Most water that is left behind percolates downward through the soil to become groundwater. Plays a key part in supplying water for human needs. Groundwater contains aquifers. Confined aquifer, or artesian aquifer, & unconfined aquifer. Aquifers release 492 billion gallons of ground water into bodies of surface water. Worlds largest known aquifer is the Ogallala Aquifer, underlies the Great Plains of the U.S.

- Water runs downhill and converges where land is lowest; forming rivers, streams, creeks, or brooks. These merge into rivers and eventually reach the ocean. - Smaller water running into a larger one is a Tributary. - Rivers and streams are hosts for immense biodiversity. - Rivers can change course over thousands of years.

- Different regions posses vastly different amounts of groundwater, rainfall, and surface water. - Rainfall caries from 1,200cm per year to virtually 0cm in some areas. - People aren’t space according to water availability.

 Def.: an area with dry land as well as water.  3 main types:  Freshwater marshes  Swamps  Bogs  Potential Benefits: slows run off, reduces flooding, recharges aquifers, and filters pollutants

Today’s problems: Human demand vs. Water availability & global climate changes  Climate change could: alter precipitation patterns, melt glaciers (causing early-season runoff), and increase droughts and flooding  Some western states believe action is much needed.  4 states have committed $2.5 billion to aid in the creation of water supply projects

Both Lakes and ponds classify as Lentic Ecosystems, stemming from the Latin word Lentus, meaning sluggish, as the water doesn’t move Because many are isolated they hold very unique and diverse species. Lakes and ponds also provide fresh water for a host of land based species.

Pelagic (open water) – The area of water neither close to the bottom, nor the shore. Hosts few species as resources can be scarce, but includes most fish. Benthic (Soil) – This includes most species as it is the soil in the bottom of the body of water. Animals within are known as benthos. Profundal (dark) – This zone is characterized by the lake of light and is only found in very deep lakes. Species here are few and diverse, living in low light environments for extended amounts of time.