User:Baileypringle8/Water balance

The water balance shows how much water is being held in a specific water system. It is reliant on a formula of inputs and outputs. Water Balance is a way to keep track of the water circulating from the air, down through land surfaces, and back up again into the atmosphere. In order to determine the water table of a specific location, precipitation, surface infiltration, on-site runoff, evaporation, surface runoff, and channel losses must be taken into equation. Water balance needs to be understood because of the importance it holds with the continuing of our ecosystems health. Water is an essential part of every living thing. Water balance shows how this water goes through many varieties of systems and impacts each one in a different way.

Water Balance of Natural &Human Systems

The Hydrologic Cycle:The hydrologic cycle involves the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-Atmosphere system It includes the processes such as evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

This process happens everywhere and in all different kinds of environments like forests, deserts, oceans, streams, and lakes. They come with different cycles however. For example, forests have evapotranspiration whereas lakes only have evaporation. The ocean is one of the most important pieces to this cycle and water balance as it makes up 96% of Earth's water. . Oceans are the storehouses of water nature uses to run the water cycle.

Each water system places a vital role in water balance and each one contributes in their own unique way. Precipitation either falls back into the ocean or onto land where it becomes runoff. The runoff seeps into lakes and streams and rivers and eventually enters back to the ocean. Thus showing how each are a catalyst for water balance as well as continuing the water cycle. They all work together in a team in order to continue this important process.

Impacts to Water Balance

Global Climate Change is a very important issue happening in the world today and it has a major effect on water balance. The increase in rain during dry seasons and the decrease in rain during wet seasons has become a main reason for a decrease in water balance components. Climate change is impacting temperature, and precipitation patterns that ultimately increase flooding and droughts.

Human Impact is another issue appearing in water balance conversations. For example, deforested areas are much less likely and able to complete water cycles because of the destruction that humans have created. This is another catalyst for the decrease in the global water balance. Places such as Florida and their organisms are reaping the impacts of human involvement, It is difficult for them to recover from these situations. Especially for wetland in Florida. They are considered protected and a very important part of water balance, but with the more human impact on them, the less they are able to compete their purpose.