Surface Water Sources

Surface water is any body of water above ground, including streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, reservoirs, and creeks. The ocean, despite being saltwater, is also considered surface water. Surface water participates in the hydrologic cycle, or water cycle, which involves the movement of water to and from the Earth’s surface. Precipitation and water runoff feed bodies of surface water. Evaporation and seepage of water into the ground, on the other hand, cause water bodies to lose water. Water that seeps deep into the ground is called groundwater.

Surface water and groundwater are reservoirs that can feed into each other. While surface water can seep underground to become groundwater, groundwater can resurface on land to replenish surface water. Springs are formed in these locations.

Since surface water is more easily accessible than groundwater, it is relied on for many human uses. It is an important source of drinking water and is used for the irrigation of farmland. Screen sizes for surface water filtration are selected according to the downstream use.