Water reaches the earth’s surface as rain
and snow. A portion of the water falling on land seeps into the
soil or flows over the surface before entering streams and lakes.
The land area that supplies water to a particular river or lake
is called a watershed. We manage watersheds and the water they
produce to provide for agriculture, human consumption, industry,
flood control and recreation. In this exercise, you will learn
more about what makes up a watershed, track the movement of water
through the hydrologic cycle and explore ways in which scientists
and engineers work to manage water resources.
