Encyclopedia of Earth: Water
From the earliest life forms to life on earth as we know it today, water has been the one essential constant . Covering roughly seventy percent of the earth’s surface, only a mere fraction is available as freshwater and of that, an even smaller proportion is available for human use and we are only just beginning to truly understand the nature of this most precious and limited resource. In addition to its life sustaining role, water is also one of the most destructive forces on earth, carving breath taking gorges and valleys, yet disasters related to water are responsible for large scale loss of life as well. In its different forms water supports ocean life, retains precious atmospheric samples dating back thousands of years, is a muse for writers, artists, and sculptors, as it tenuously supports a human population of six billion and growing.
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Featured Article
Infiltration and soil water storage
Infiltration Infiltration refers to the movement of water into the soil layer. The rate of this movement is called the infiltration rate. If rainfall intensity is greater than the infiltration rate,...
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Water Cycle Game
SUMMARY Ever wonder where the water you're drinking came from? Where were those water molecules last? With the roll of the dice, you can simulate the journey water molecules may take as they travel within the water cycle. This game,...
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Articles
Also called Erect-crested penguin. The Big-crested penguin (scientific name: Eudyptes sclateri) is one of seve...
[Raul Perianez is the lead author of this article] Heavy metal distributions in the Gulf of Cadiz are generat...
The Bowhead whale (scientific name: Balaena mysticetus) is one of four species of marine mammal in the family ...
The dusky damselfish (scientific name: Stegastes adustus)is amember of the damselfish family (Family Pomacentr...
The Macaroni penguin (scientific name: Eudyptes chrysolophus) is is one of seventeen species of flightless bir...
There are a variety of human induced ocean changes that have degraded coral reef systems; these changes have g...
Groundwater inflow represents an important part of groundwater assessment methodology within the hydrological ...
News Articles
National Ocean Policy Action Plan draft requests public comments on actions Federal agencies will take to impr...
The deadly and destructive power of water Be smart about floods High resolution (Credit: NOAA) Did yo...
Flood Information When flooding happens, USGS field crews are among the first to respond. During and after st...
Resources
SUMMARY Oil and water just dont mix; opinions on deepwater exploration are just as polar. This unit provide...- SUMMARY Ever wonder where the water you're drinking came from? Where were those water molecules last? With th...
Galleries
Agriculture Gallery II Humans began to cultivate food crops about 10,000 years ago. Prior to that time, hun...
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