Water Erosion Definition
Water erosion is the process where water carries soil, changing land shape over time. Rainfall, surface runoff, rivers, and oceans all shape the land with water.
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Changing the Shape of Land
Fun Facts
- Water erosion usually takes a long time, but can also happen fast such as in a flood.
- Plants' roots holding soil in place and mulch covering soil slow down water erosion.
- Scientists estimate that the Colorado River has been eroding the Grand Canyon for about 5-6 million years!
Why Do We Need To Know About Water Erosion
Learning about water erosion helps us see how it changes our world and why it’s important to take care of it. Water erosion can make farming harder and affect our cities and landmarks. By understanding it, we can find jobs in areas like earth science, protecting the environment, building strong structures, and managing coastlines.
People in these jobs work to keep our land, buildings, and natural areas safe from water damage. For example, people can prevent erosion by building dams and improving drainage. This helps both nature and people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the Full Lesson on Changing the Shape of Land
In this lesson, we learn that:
- Water can change the shape of land.
- Wind can change the shape of land too.
- We can slow down or prevent these changes by using science.
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