This document provides information about various sources of freshwater and drinking water sources. It discusses the water cycle and major reservoirs like groundwater, glaciers, rivers/lakes and the atmosphere. Students explore these sources through various websites and activities. They learn that local drinking water in Salt Lake City comes from rivers and snowmelt in the Wasatch Mountains that flow into reservoirs in the Jordan River and Great Salt Lake watershed. The document emphasizes the importance of protecting water sources and discusses actions individuals and society can take to better conserve freshwater.

1. Where does our water come from?
Purpose: This webquestwill be done for two reasons. The first is to review what we
have learned about the water cycle before the test and see how it applies to our
lives. The second objective for this activity is for you to become more familiar with
resources on the internet and asked to analyze the information, these sites include
the USGS, GoogleEarth, NASA, EPA and others.
Part I: The Water Cycle:
1) This first step to understanding where our water comes from is to review the
water cycle. Go to the site listed below and explore the water cycle. When you
think you have an understanding of the material take the quiz (found on the
lower left side of the diagram). Then answer the question below.
http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/
Taking into account your knowledge of the Salt Lake area, where does water exist or
what are the reservoirs of water found in the local area?
Rivers, lakes, atmospheric, snow, and groundwater
In the following activities we will continues to explore the natural reservoirs
of freshwater (ground water, ice/glacial, rivers/lakes, and atmospheric) in
more detail.
2) Freshwater storage: Explore the following website to understand freshwater
storage (i.e. rivers, and lakes).
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclefreshstorage.html
What are the inputs or inflows of freshwater sources?
Inputs: precipitation, snowmelt, glacial runoff, and groundwater outlets
How can surface water impact human society and where we choose to live?
Water is such a huge part of human life that typically humans must live near
freshwater. In Egypt much of the population lives near the Nile River which
provides drinking water as well as irrigation from crops. Answers will vary!
Do you think the use of surface water a good source of drinking water? Explain.
What are the disadvantages and advantages?
Answers will vary!
Pros: Easily accessible/ easy to capture.
Cons: Easily polluted, water levels/flow can be seasonal

2. 3) In this activity we will explore ground water. Go to the following webpage and
take a look around. Pay particular attention to the diagrams. Then answer the
following questions.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1993/ofr93-643/
What is an aquifer?
An aquifer is a body of water in which the rock is both permeable and
porous, allowing water to easily be transported and stored in these bodies.
What conditions need to be present in order for rocks make a good aquifer? What
types of rocks are these?
Permeability and porosity
Do you think the use of ground water a good source of drinking water? Explain.
What are the disadvantages and advantages?
Answers will vary:
Pros: One of the largest and most accessible fresh water reservoirs,
clean/natural filtration
Cons: Depleting source faster than its replenished, increased pollution, can
require energy to get water to surface and finally natural pollutants (i.e.
arsenic.
4) Now explore the following webpage to learn about glaciers:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthglacier.html
What are the major types of glaciers?
Alpine and Continental
Explain the effect glaciers can have on the landscape?
Alpine glaciers form cirques and valleys in mountains. Whereas, continental
ice sheets will smooth the landscape. Both create potholes, moraines, and striations.
Do you think the use of glacial water a good source of drinking water? Explain. What
are the disadvantages and advantages?
Answers will vary!
Pros: Abundant source, easily captured from runoff
Cons: Not found throughout the world (only found in specific regions),
pollution (picks up pollutants from atmosphere and store them), and energy
required to capture source and transport.

3. 5) The next webpage provides information about water found in the atmosphere.
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleatmosphere.html
What is the percentage of freshwater found in the atmosphere?
0.04 %
How does water move from the surface of the earth to the atmosphere. And how is
this water then transferred back to the surface?
Evaporation and precipitation. Transfer of energy
Do you think the use of atmospheric water a good source of drinking water? Explain.
What are the disadvantages and advantages?
Answers will vary!
Pros: It’s everywhere, but can be captured as rainfall
Cons: hard to capture, not consistent, polluted
6) To summarize what we have learned about the water cycle, I would like you to
carefully read the following article. Finally, write a healthy paragraph (4-6 sentences)
relating the water cycle to your life.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Water/
Answers will vary!
Part II: Drinking Water
7) The following website gives information about the sources of drinking water.
http://cec.vcn.bc.ca/cmp/modules/wat-sou.htm
What are the three major sources of water?
Air, surface water, and groundwater

4. How do these relate to the water cycle?
They are all major freshwater reservoirs. Ensure students are making
connections to the previous activities
How is the water captured in each one of these sources?
Air: precipitation/rain
Groundwater: Wells, pumps and springs/seeps
Surface Water: pumps/reservoirs, diverting rivers and lakes
In the next section we are going to learn where the water in salt lake comes from.
Before we do that take a guess. Where do you think your drinking water comes
from? Briefly explain.
Rivers/snowmelt!
8) In the next section I want you to find Salt Lake City in Google earth. Once there
ensure that you are viewing the aerial photographs. Use the scale tool to zoom in and
out. While doing this note the reservoirs of water found in the local area (i.e. rivers
and lakes).
List the seven creeks that enter salt lake city from the Wasatch Mountains and
which eventually flow into the Jordan River/Great Salt Lake ?
City Creek, Redbutte, Emigration, Parley’s, Millcreek, Big Cottonwood, and
Little Cottonwood.
9) In this next activity we are going to determine where your drinking water comes
from. Open the following link. Under the “Water Program Snapshots” tab on the right
side of the screen click drinking water information. Then look at the surface water
reservoirs. Type in your address in the upper left corner.
http://watersgeo.epa.gov/mwm/
Find the water shed that is closest to your home and click on it. What is the name of
this water shed? How many people does this source serve?
Answers could vary!
For me its City Creek part of the Salt Lake Water System, which serves a
population of 318,506.
What do you think our responsibility is in protecting our local water sources? Why?
Answers will vary

5. 10) Finally, explore the following webpage concerning different issues surrounding
access to water.
http://www.nrdc.org/water/
What is something an individual can do to protect our water sources?
Conserve water, don’t use toxic pollutants and be careful how you dispose of
hazardous waste, be careful when you’re in a watershed, etc.
Answers will vary!
What can be done on a societal level to better protect our water sources?
Better regulations, greener energy use, changes to manufacturing ,etc
Answers will vary!