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River Talk—Patterns

Waters and drainage patterns photo credit: © Comstock–Getty ImagesHuman nervous system photo credit: © Hemera–Thinkstock Photos

Tree in winter photo credit: © iStockphoto–Thinkstock PhotosRoad system photo credit: © Hemera–Thinkstock Photos

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River Talk—Watershed Diagram

Term

s:

aqui

fer

cond

ensa

tion

divi

de /

ridge

evap

orat

ion

flood

plai

ngr

ound

wat

erhe

adw

ater

ska

rst

lake

mai

n st

em o

f riv

erm

outh

prec

ipita

tion

rese

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rsp

ring

trib

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etla

nd

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River Talk—Watershed Diagram Answer Key

Terms:

aquifercondensationdivide / ridgeevaporation

floodplainground w

aterheadw

aterskarst

lakem

ain stem of river

mouth

precipitation

reservoirspringtributaryw

etland

condensation

evaporation

precipitation

divide / ridge

wetland

lake

floodplain

reservoir

spring

headwaters

main stem

of river

ground water

aquifer

karstm

outh

tributary

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182 River Talk © 2002, 2011 Project WET Foundation Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, Generation 2.0 © 2011 Project WET Foundation

River Talk—Analogies of a Watershed Grades 6–9

Instructions: For each number, use logic to figure out the relationship between the words in the complete pair. Apply that same relationship and fill in the blank to finish the incomplete pair. See hints in parentheses. Some vocabulary words may be used more than once, but all will be used.

Vocabulary:arid, basin, ecosystem, evaporation, ground water, hydrologist, main stem, precipitation, reservoir, river, water

1. inhalation: exhalation / precipitation:___________ (hint: is the opposite of)

2. condensation:____________/ headwaters: mouth (hint: is the opposite of)

3. tributary:__________ / branches: tree trunk (hint: connects to)

4. drought:________ / hunger: food (hint: is a lack of)

5. dam:_________/ stoplight: traffic (hint: regulates)

6. aquifer:________/ refrigerator: food (hint: stores)

7. ________ : watershed / team: league (hint: makes up)

8. ___________: water / doctor: medicine (hint: one who studies)

9. humid:___________/ wet: dry (hint: is the opposite of)

10. sub basin:__________ / team: league (hint: is part of)

11. recharge:_________/ deposits: bank account (hint: adds to)

12. dam:_________/ plug: bath (hint: holds back)

13. watercourse:__________/ highway: traffic (hint: is where)

14. catchment: _______/ glove: baseball (hint: is used for)

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River Talk—Analogies of a Watershed Grades 10–12

Instructions: For each number, use logic to figure out the relationship between the words in the complete pair. Apply that same relationship and fill in the blank to finish the incomplete pair. Not all vocabulary words will be used and some may be applied more than once. Vocabulary:aquifer, arid, catchment, condensation, dam, basin, drought, ecosystem, evaporation, floodplain, ground water, headwaters, hydrologist, main stem, mouth, precipitation, recharge, reservoir, runoff, sub basin, transpiration, tributary, water, watercourse, watershed, river

1. inhalation: exhalation / precipitation: _____________

2. condensation: _____________ / headwaters: mouth

3. tributary: _____________ / branches: tree

4. drought: _____________ / hunger: food

5. dam: _____________ / stoplight: traffic

6. aquifer: _____________ / refrigerator: food

7. _____________: watershed / team: league

8. _____________ : water/ doctor: medicine

9. humid: _____________ / wet: dry

10. sub basin: _____________ / team: league

11. recharge: _____________ / deposits: bank account

12. dam: _____________ / plug: bath

13. watercourse: _____________ / highway: traffic

14. catchment: _____________ / glove: baseball

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River Talk—Analogies of a Watershed—Answer Key

Analogies of a Watershed Grades 6–9—Answer Key

1. inhalation: exhalation / precipitation: evaporation

2. condensation: evaporation / headwaters: mouth

3. tributary: main stem / branches: tree

4. drought: precipitation / hunger: food

5. dam: river / stoplight: traffic

6. aquifer: ground water / refrigerator: food

7. ecosystem: watershed / team: league

8. hydrologist: water / doctor: medicine

9. humid: arid / wet: dry

10. sub basin: basin / team: league

11. recharge: ground water / deposits: bank account

12. dam: reservoir / plug: bath

13. watercourse: water / highway: traffic

14. catchment: water / glove: baseball

Analogies of a Watershed Grades 10–12—Answer Key

1. inhalation: exhalation / precipitation: evaporation

2. condensation: evaporation / headwaters: mouth

3. tributary: main stem / branches: tree

4. drought: precipitation / hunger: food

5. dam: river / stoplight: traffic

6. aquifer: ground water / refrigerator: food

7. ecosystem: watershed / team: league

8. hydrologist: water / doctor: medicine

9. humid: arid / wet: dry

10. sub basin: basin / team: league

11. recharge: ground water / deposits: bank account

12. dam: reservoir / plug: bath

13. watercourse: water / highway: traffic

14. catchment: water / glove: baseball

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Student Copy Page PART I (1 of 2)River Talk—Watershed Terms

Term Definition

aquiferAn underground bed of saturated soil or rock that yields significant quantities of water that may be pumped to the surface for use by people, livestock or watering crops.

basin See watershed.

bogAn area of soft, water-saturated ground with a spongy, acidic substrate composed mostly of sphagnum moss and peat, and in which water-tolerant shrubs, herbs and trees usually grow.

boundary Border.

branch See tributary.

catchment An area that catches water.

condensation The process by which a vapor becomes a liquid; the opposite of evaporation.

confluence The place where two or more rivers or streams meet.

creek See stream.

delta A flat plain of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river.

divide See ridge line.

downstream Toward the end of or lowest part of a stream; with the current.

ecosystemA community of living organisms and their interrelated physical and chemical environment; also, a land area within a climate.

evaporationThe conversion of a liquid (e.g., water) into a vapor (a gaseous state) usually through applying heat energy; the opposite of condensation.

floodplainAny normally dry land area that is susceptible to being inundated by water from any natural source; flat area alongside many rivers, streams and lakes.

ground water Water found in spaces between soil particles underground (located in the zone of saturation).

headwaters The source of a stream.

karstA landscape often formed on limestone rock where water under ground has created openings for a drainage system. Four different features typically indicate karst: cave openings, sinkholes, springs or streams that are seasonal or disappear into the ground.

lake A considerable body of standing inland water.

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River Talk—Watershed Terms Student Copy Page PART I (2 of 2)

Term Definition

levee An embankment or raised area that prevents water from moving from one place to another.

main stem The main watercourse of a river in a drainage system.

marsh See wetland.

mouth End of the river, where it flows into an ocean or sea.

pond See wetland.

precipitation Water falling, in a liquid or solid state, from the atmosphere (e.g., rain, snow).

reservoir An artificial, or manmade, lake or body of standing water.

ridge Point of higher ground that separates two adjacent streams or watersheds; also known as a divide.

riparian areaLand areas directly influenced by a body of water; usually have visible vegetation or other physical characteristics showing this water influence. Stream banks, lake borders and marshes are typical riparian areas.

salt marsh Low coastal grassland frequently inundated by the tide.

spring A place where ground water naturally meets and emerges from the surface of the land.

streamAny body of running water moving under gravity’s influence through clearly defined natural channels to progressively lower levels.

sub basin A basin contained within a basin or watershed.

swamp See wetland.

tributary A stream that contributes its water to another stream or body of water.

upstream Toward the source or upper part of a stream; against the current.

watershed

Also called a basin or drainage, a watershed is an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries to a common outlet, which may be a closed basin, a larger stream, a lake, wetland, estuary or an ocean. (A closed basin is a water body from which water leaves only through evaporation or percolation; there is no surface outlet from this pond or depression, such as the Great Salt Lake, Utah.) Within its boundaries, a watershed includes all of the land, air, surface and ground water, plants and animals, mountains and deserts, cities and farms, and people, including their stories and traditions.

wetlandA wetland is wet land; it captures, stores and slows the movement of water. There are several types of wetlands, such as swamps, salt marshes and bogs.