There are two other types of surface water that are important to our hydrosphere, watershed and wetlands. These surface waters differ from types that you learned about in the previous section. Each of these surface waters involves the land area that surrounds it.

Wetlands

The photo below is an example of a wetland area; notice how land and water are located closely.

Source: Wetlands, Environmental Protection Agency

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. Wetlands are an important part of our ecosystem.

Watch this video about the importance of wetlands.

After watching the video, what have you learned about the importance of wetlands? Wetlands are important to our environment for many reasons. Imagine that you work for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); your boss has assigned you the task of inspiring others to save the wetlands by designing a t-shirt. Write your slogan in your notes.

Click on the t-shirt image below, print it and decorate the t-shirt with your slogan.

Watershed

Click on the labels above in the diagram to examine the many components of a watershed.

Take a look at the diagram above. It is a diagram of a watershed. A watershed is surface water that includes a land area with all of its features that drain into a body of water.

Click on the link below to play the Watershed Game:
Watershed Game