Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater
Fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, ice and underground, and only a tiny fraction of Earth's water is readily available.
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Fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, ice and underground, and only a tiny fraction of Earth's water is readily available.
- Aquifers store groundwater
- Lakes hold fresh or salty water
- Wetlands filter water
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater?
Within Earth & Environmental Science, which covers our planet, its resources and ecosystems, and how people can protect the environment, this topic explains Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater. Earth and environment topics show how the planet’s systems shape landscapes, climate and life, with models that make these processes visible.
Check that you can explain Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater helps you explain the environment around you and weigh up how people can protect it.
Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater in detail
Rivers carry fresh water from highlands to the sea, and shape valleys through erosion and deposition. Lakes are bodies of water in depressions formed by glaciers, tectonics or river processes. Groundwater is water stored underground in porous rock called aquifers, below the water table, and it supplies wells and springs.
These sources provide drinking water, irrigation, industry and habitats. Overuse can lower the water table and dry rivers, and pollution from fertilisers, waste and chemicals can contaminate them. Because groundwater recharges slowly, it needs careful management. Rivers and lakes are also sensitive to climate change and human use.
How the interactive helps you understand Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater
Watch the cycle in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the cycle responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater.
Real-life uses and examples
- Discuss how human activity changes Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater, using a named example.
- Explain how Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater affects the landscape or climate near you.
- Link Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater to a real environmental problem and a possible solution.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Presenting one cause as the only cause of an environmental change.
- Describing a process without the timescale it works over.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater
What is Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater?
Fresh water is found in rivers, lakes, ice and underground, and only a tiny fraction of Earth's water is readily available.
What are the most important points about Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater?
The main points are: Aquifers store groundwater; Lakes hold fresh or salty water; Wetlands filter water.
Why is Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater useful?
Understanding Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater helps you explain the environment around you and weigh up how people can protect it.
How can I practise Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater?
Related topics in Earth & Environmental Science include Ecosystems and Biomes, Threats to Biodiversity, Forests and Deforestation.