Continental waters: what are, characteristics and importance

The continental waters They are all those water masses in liquid state found in the continental regions of the planet. Generally, continental waters are constituted by fresh water And his presence in the biosphere is constant.

The origin of continental waters is diverse, sometimes forming as a result of rainfall in the form of rain, hail or snow; or due to the presence and outcrop of groundwater.

In the next sections of this article we will deepen the characteristics, types and importance of continental waters to better learn these outstanding aquatic ecosystems.

To know in more detail what the surface waterslet’s see some of its most prominent characteristics:

• The fresh water bodies which constitute continental waters are usually located in regions away from coastal areas, leading to interior water formations.
• The presence of these waters is conditioned to the properties and conditions of phenomena such as floods, rains, snowfall and overflow of rivers or sea level increases; since these phenomena are responsible for providing continental waters for a certain volume of water.
• Continental waters may exist permanently, seasonal or even intermittent.
• On numerous occasions, continental waters suffer pollution, naturally (through phenomena such as eutrophication or super accumulation of nutrients and organisms); or contrary anthropically, due to the discharge of contaminated wastewater and water with toxic substances of industrial, mining or agricultural origin, in which chemical fertilizers and very polluting phytosanitary products are deposited.

Of the total precipitation water (in the form of rain, snow or hail), a part circulates and accumulates on the earth’s surface (giving rise to superficial continental waters), another part is infiltrated through rocks and porous materials (constituting underground continental waters); and a third of these rainfall evaporates and returns to the atmosphere.

In this way, within these two large groups, the different Types of continental waters that exist are:

Superficial continental waters

• Streams and streams.
• Rivers
• Lakes and lagoons (both fresh and salt water).
• Reservoirs and swamps.
• Interior saline systems (interior seas).
• Wetlands and ravines.
• Flood plains.
• Albuferes (formed by the water of the tides high in beach areas and low coasts).
• Chotts or salty lakes of semi -arid regions (saline lakes of different size that are formed from rainwater that is stagnant, quickly disappearing when the rain ceases and having high temperatures, thus leaving layers of salt in the place where the water basin was formed).
• Polar waters and glaciers.

Underground continental waters

• Aquifers
• Manantiales and groundwater sources for human supply in urban areas.

Continental waters have great importance, as well as essential natural resource for the survival of many species of animals and plants as for its ecological value in the proper functioning of the earth as a global ecosystem.

On the other hand, focusing alone and exclusively in the anthropogenic field, continental waters are of great value to the day -to -day human beings. While surface continental waters are used for purposes related to crops, livestock, recreation and leisure irrigationas well as hydroelectricity and some other industrial functions; Underground continental waters are mainly used for human consumption.

Throughout history, the different civilizations of human beings who have populated every corner of the planet, built their urban nuclei in areas close to aquifer geological formationsof which to obtain underground continental waters of quality to drink and use in your day to day.

At present, bottled water comes from these underground continental waters, which, from springs and aquifers, have an optimal quality for human consumption.

In this other post we talk about why rivers and lakes are important.

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