37-40 Watersheds & Earth's Atmosphere

All land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland

• Area

• Length

• Slope

• Vegetation types

• Divids with adjoining watersheds

• Dams

• Floodplains

• Designing housing development along a river

Analysis of upstream land and downstream water for quality indicators

Water sheds

Reflects the volume of water that can b egenerated from a rainfall

Can be measured in different ways, generally considered the principle flow path

Will affect momentum of runoff, velocity, overland flow, watershed erosion potential, and local wind systems

The thin layer of gases around Earth

• Provides oxygen

• Absorbs radiation

• Moderates climate

• Transports and recycles water & nutrients

• 78% Nitrogen

• 21% Oxygen

• 9% Argon

• Trace amounts of other gases (carbon dioxide, ozone, nitrous oxide, and methane)