Facts About the Water Around Us

When a drought hits and little or no rain has fallen in a long time, you might expect small streams and even larger rivers to just dry up, right? In many cases, they don't. Streamflow might lessen to a trickle or so, but water continues to flow. How is that possible? Read on to find out how "base flow", which is water seeping into the stream from groundwater, helps keep water in streams during...

Surface water is the most recognizable part of the water cycle that we can see. Lakes and rivers may be the first types of surface water that come to mind but don't forget those snowbanks in your front yard! We think of oceans when we think of surface water but did you remember to add glaciers to your list? The Water Science School has plenty to teach you about the different types of surface water...

How much do you know about the water below your feet? Take our Groundwater True/False Quiz and find out.

How much do you know about water properties? Take our Water Properties True/False Quiz and find out.

Learn about water's properties using pictures.

In your everyday life you are not involved much with saline water. You are concerned with freshwater to serve your life's every need. But, most of Earth's water, and almost all of the water that people can access, is saline, or salty water. Just look at the oceans and remember that oceans comprise about 97% of all water on, in, and above the Earth.

We need to take the statement "Water is the universal solvent" with a grain of salt (pun intended). Of course it cannot dissolve everything, but it does dissolve more substances than any other liquid, so the term fits pretty well. Water's solvent properties affect all life on Earth, so water is universally important to all of us.

Sea level and climate. If you wondering how they relate to one another all you need to think of is water storage. How does the earth store water during cold periods and how is water stored when the earth warms? If you're curious about the delicate connection the earth has between climate and sea level, don't stop here. Read on!

Yes, of course the most obvious fact about water is that it is wet, at least in the liquid state. But, there are many more facts about water that make it a most fascinating substance, one that all life on and in the Earth depends on.

What percent of your state do you think is water covered? Which state has the highest percentage of water area? Is the West really "drier" than the rest of the country?

The following topics provide background on some of the scientific issues regarding floods.

If you are going to find your pot of gold at the end of a rainbow you need to understand why they exist and how they form. Are rainbows just a visual illusion or are they real physical aspects of nature. We will give you the answers.