Water In A Watershed Research Paper

Look around you right now and you will notice that you are in a watershed. This is the water that you drink and provide to your family, sometimes this water can be a problem and sometimes a big help. Most of the people in the United States get their water from a nearby watershed which they use to grow food, and wash their clothes. Not only does this water help people with many things in their house, but it also powers the industry and the many things that requires water in the surrounding area. As people, we want as much water as we can get, thereforth we need our watersheds to be abundant with water. Although it is great to have water all the time, too much water can cause flash flooding which can affect the rivers and streams with harmful pollutants that can make their way into …show more content…
When water enters into a watershed too quickly for the land to absorb it flooding can occur. Floods form from a rapid melting of winter snows, severe thunderstorms, tropical storms, and other high precipitation events. Flooding is becoming a problem in the U.S., causing billions of dollars in damage and can take many lives with it. Watersheds in urban areas with a lot of concrete and pavement can shed water quickly, while in grassy rural areas the soil absorbs more water. Runoff during a storm is one of the most significant threats to an ecosystem in any location around the world, especially in the coastal areas. When the water running off of a hill or inclined land formation the contaminants run into the nearby streams or rivers. It can also pick up the leaked motor oil in parking lots, pesticides, fertilizer, or detergents. If this problem is untreated, these harmful pollutants can make their way into waterways carried by the runoff from rain or