Where does your drinking water come from? An aquifer or an aboveground reservoir? What area is included within your watershed? Visit the Science in Your Watershed site at http://water.usgs.gov/wsc to find out.

To explain: The source of drinking water; an aquifer or an aboveground reservoir.

Concept introduction: Chemical and geologic processes move elements to, from, and among environmental reservoir. The movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates can uplift rocks. Therefore, an area that was once a seafloor becomes a part of a landmass. On land, erosion breaks down rocks, allowing the elements in them to enter rivers, and flow into seas. There are three environmental reservoirs that hold most of the water. These reservoirs are through the atmosphere, onto land, and then back to the ocean.

Aquifers supply mostly about half of the drinking water. Mostly, over-drafting is the removal of water from aquifers faster than the natural processes that replenish it. Overdrawing of water from an aquifer lowers the water table...

To explain: The area which is included within the watershed according to the given website address.

Concept introduction: Chemical and geologic processes move elements to, from, and among environmental reservoir. The movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates can uplift rocks. Therefore, an area that was once a seafloor becomes a part of a landmass. On land, erosion breaks down rocks, allowing the elements in them to enter rivers, and flow into seas. There are three environmental reservoirs that hold most of the water. These reservoirs are through the atmosphere, onto land, and then back to the ocean.