Science

The Science of H₂O

Escuela de Ciencias del Agua (Español)

The Water Science School in Spanish

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Earth's Water - the Basics

Discover the how, what, where, and why of water

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The Water Cycle

The most comprehensive explanation of Earth's water-cycle components, with diagrams in 60+ languages

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What Makes Water Water?

Sure, water is wet...but it is a whole lot more. Learn about water's properties.

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Welcome to the Science Topics page of the USGS Water Science School, where you can explore the many aspects of water. All of our science information is available by browsing the Themes below.

Escuela de Ciencias del Agua (Spanish)

Surface Water

Water Quality

Water Properties

Water Basics

Water Use

Water Cycle Components

Groundwater

Science Topics

Chemical Water Properties

Contaminants and Pathogens

Facts About Our Water at Home

Facts About the Water Around Us

Groundwater Basics

Groundwater Hazards

Groundwater Quality

Groundwater Quality Issues

How the USGS Compiles Water-Use Data

How the USGS Measures Groundwater

How the USGS Measures Surface Water

How the USGS Measures Water

How the USGS Measures Water Quality

How We Use Groundwater

How We Use Surface Water

How We Use Water

National Water-Use Data

Physical Water Properties

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Education

Water Science School Teacher's Resources

Teacher's Resources for Water Education

The USGS Water Science School offers many resources to teachers help teach students all about water.

Teacher's Resources for Water Education

The USGS Water Science School offers many resources to teachers help teach students all about water.

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Water Science Activity Center

This is the interactive section of our site where you can answer challenge questions, participate in opinion surveys about water issues, and take true/false quizzes.

Water Science Activity Center

This is the interactive section of our site where you can answer challenge questions, participate in opinion surveys about water issues, and take true/false quizzes.

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The Upper Floridan aquifer is close to land surface and in some areas is in direct contact with streams in the lower ACF Basin.

An aquifer is a geologic formation, a group of formations, or a part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs. This site explains the geology of aquifers and provides a general overview and maps of the principal aquifers of the United states.

Principal Aquifers

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