Water Sources PDF

When rain falls it either seeps into the ground or becomes runoff, which flows down hill into rivers and lakes.

• Surface Water
When rain hits saturated or impervious ground it becomes surface water and begins to flow overland downhill. Surface water flows through creeks, streams and rivers on its journey to lakes and ultimately ending up in the ocean.

• Ground water
- Some of the precipitation that falls onto the land infiltrates into the ground to become ground water. Ground water is a major contributor to flow in many streams and rivers and has a strong influence on river and wetland habitats for plants and animals. Ground water is recharged by rainwater falling on the soil and percolating down through the soil and rock fractures into the aquifer.
- The main uses of ground water include irrigation uses, drinking-water and other public uses, and for supplying domestic water to people who do not receive public-supply water.

Natural Resource PDF

Water is our most abundant natural resource, yet the highest in demand. Fresh, clean water is demanded for urban, agricultural, industrial and recreational uses, which becomes a greater challenge with population increase. To meet this demand for water it must be recaptured, cleaned and reused.

Ground Cover PDF

Ground cover on the soil surface plays an important role in protecting the soil from erosion, and in maintaining higher infiltration rates. As population increases and more development and urbanization occur, more of the natural landscape is replaced by impervious surfaces, such as roads, houses, parking lots, and buildings that reduce the infiltration of water into the ground and accelerate runoff to ditches and streams.

Runoff PDF

Surface runoff is affected by both meteorological factors and the physical geology and topography of the land. Only about a third of the precipitation that falls over land runs off into streams and rivers and is returned to the oceans. The other two-thirds is evaporated, transpired, or soaks (infiltrates) into ground water. Surface runoff can also be diverted by humans for their own uses.

Meteorological Effects
- Type of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.)
- Rainfall amount, intensity and duration
- Distribution of rainfall over the drainage basin
- Precipitation that occurred earlier

Physical Effects
- Land use, ground cover, soil type
- Housing Development
- Drainage network patterns
- Ponds, lakes, reservoirs, sinks, etc. in the basin, which prevent or delay runoff from continuing downstream

Environmental Effects
- Natural and human caused fires
- Early settlers allowed cattle to continuously graze the abundant grass. This caused desirable grasses to decline and undesirable weeds and brush to increase
- Drought periods that lower the quality of perennials and quick maturing annual grasses.

Ground Cover Types

Grassland Prairie PDF
- Areas include native grassland which provides ground cover and decreases runoff.
- These grasses have a deep root system and abundant above ground coverage to help hold soil in place and allow rainfall to percolate through the soil to the aquifer.
- Virtually no runoff
- Large amount of water infiltration

Mismanaged Areas PDF
- Areas include building construction, poor forestry practices or poor grazing management
- Intrusion by brush, weeds and other undesirable plants occurs
- Causes excessive runoff with soil erosion
- Very little water infiltration

Turf Areas PDF
- Areas include turf grass and lawns
- Very little runoff
- Large amount of water infiltration

Paved Area PDF
- Areas include roadways and parking lots
- Have no capacity to allow rainfall to reach aquifer
- Increased run-off which ends up in surface water supply
- Extra run-off is sometimes contaminated with oil, solvents or other pollutants.
- This water often decreases the quality of surface water, requiring extensive purification processes.
- Surface water levels increase, but ground water levels decrease since water never reaches the aquifer.

Indoor Conservation PDF

Water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally sound way to reduce our demand for water. The entire U.S. uses less water than it did 25 years ago, even though there are more people.

Below are ways you can conserve water in your home!

Kitchen
- When washing dishes by hand, do not leave water running. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
- When washing hands, turn water off while lathering.
- Defrost foods in the refrigerator or microwave, not with running water.
- Clean vegetables in a filled sink or pan, not with running water from the faucet.

Bathroom
- Keep showers under 5 minutes.
- Turn off the water while brushing teeth.
- Turn off water while shaving.
- Check toilets for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring in the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing there’s a leak that should be repaired. Or, install low-volume toilets.

General
- Install aerators on all your faucets and shower heads.
- Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full.
- While waiting for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden.

Source: wateruseitwisely.com

Help Keep your Water Clean! PDF

• Never over-fertilize your lawn.
• Pick up your dogs droppings.
• Have vehicles inspected regularly for fluid leaks.
• Wash your car on the lawn to keep dirty, soapy water from flowing into storm drains and eventually into your local streams and lakes.
• Clean paint brushes in the laundry sink, or in a bucket that you tip somewhere in your garden.
• Pick up trash and cover trash bins to prevent litter from blowing into storm drains.

Outdoor Conservation PDF

Water is a natural resource we all depend on. Like other natural resources, we have to take care of it in order to continue to use it. Below you will find helpful ways to take care of the water supply in your town.
- Leave grass clippings on your lawn after you mow. The clippings are a natural way to fertilize and minimize use of chemicals that could contaminate water.
- Attract birds to your home to eliminate insects and minimize use of pesticides that could enter the water supply in your town.
- Spread mulch on your garden to keep soil moist and save water.
- Fix dripping faucets. A dripping faucet can waste 10 gallons of water a day according to The Groundwater Foundation.
- Take used motor oil to an oil recycling center instead of pouring it down a storm drain.
- Manage irrigation systems (sprinklers) to efficiently water lawns and crops. This saves homeowners and farmers both water and money.
- Clean junk and litter out of rivers and lakes improve habitat for fish and other aquatic life.
- Plant grass and trees on loose soil to keep the soil from washing away.

Source:  United States Department of Agriculture; Natural Resources Conservation Service

What is an Aquifer? PDF 1 PDF 2

Aquifers are naturally occurring, underground formations that store water, almost like a saturated sponge. The water can be collected by drilling a well into the aquifer and pumping it to the surface where it can be used for irrigating crops, watering livestock, and for human consumption.

Aquifers are replenished through rainfall that moves downward through layers of soil, sand, gravel and fractured rock until it reaches the aquifer. This downward movement through the earth helps clean and filter the water.

Let’s take a look at the major Texas Aquifers!

What is a Watershed? PDF

A watershed is the land that water flows across or under on its way to a stream, river, or lake. Watersheds can have hills or mountains or be nearly flat. They can have farmland, rangeland, small towns and big cities. Parts of your watershed may be so rough, rocky or marshy that they’re suited only for certain trees, plants and wildlife.

How do watersheds work?
The landscape is made up of many interconnected basins, or watersheds. Within each watershed, all water runs to the lowest point – a stream, river or lake. On its way, water travels over the surface and across the farm fields, forest land, suburban lawns, and city streets, or it seeps into the soil and travels as ground water. Large watersheds like the ones for the Mississippi River, Columbia River, and Chesapeake Bay are made up of many smaller watersheds across several states.

How Much Water…? PDF

Water is an essential ingredient in most manufacturing operations. Water is one of the main factors in getting consumer products on the shelf. Water is not only used by animals for consumption or farmers to irrigate crops, but throughout the entire manufacturing process.

How much water does it take…From Farm Gate to Your Plate?
- Producing a typical U.S. car requires more than 50 times its weight in water. Choosing a fuel-efficient model will help – it takes 44 gallons of water to refine one gallon of crude oil and up to 1,700 gallons of water to produce a gallon of ethanol.
- Producing one pound of bread requires 500 gallons of water.
- Producing one cotton t-shirt requires 256 gallons of water
- Producing one serving (8 oz.) of milk requires 48 gallons of water.
- Producing one serving (4.6 oz.) of oranges requires 14 gallons of water.

Source: Mono Lake Committee: Water Conservation Tips (www.monolake.org/waterconservation)