Watersheds are those land areas that catch rain or snow and drain to specific marshes, streams, rivers, lakes, or to ground water. This site allows users to locate their watershed by city, county, state, or region. Links provide information about stream flow, water use, conservation efforts, demographics, forest riparian habitats, science in your watershed, water discharges, and assessment of watershed ... Full description.

This page describes El Nino and the Southern Oscillation and how they may contribute to severe weather and the destruction of sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs. It features text, pictures, scientific illustrations, and links to satellite information and weather-related science activities. Full description.

This learning system provides a variety of materials on Earth and space sciences, such as images, movies, animations, and data sets. Students, teachers, and the general public can access information on the sun and space weather, astronomy, our planet and solar system, current space missions, space-related mythology and art, and geology. For teachers, there are links to tools for navigating the site, ... Full description.

In this activity, students create a model ocean over which "wind" will be blown, and observe the relationship between the wind and the resulting ocean surface currents. The activity reinforces the concept that surface currents in the ocean are mostly caused by wind. A materials list and instructions are provided, and links to a glossary are embedded in the text. Full description.

In this activity, students construct a model of the seafloor, prepare profiles, and learn how ocean depth is measured. A materials list, instructions, engagement and explanatory information, and a vocabulary list are included. Full description.

Tide tables, commonly seen in newspapers and on television in coastal areas, show that comparable local high and low tides occur almost one hour later from one day to the next. The motion of the Moon as it revolves around the Earth largely accounts for the time lag. Students participating in this activity will investigate this time lag by using the tide time diagram and instructions which are provided. ... Full description.

This illustration from an online textbook features a map showing the major ocean currents of the world. A set of links provides access to a study guide with glossary and test questions, additional readings, and links to related sites. Full description.

Materials presented here describe how the Ekman theory of wind-driven circulation in ocean basins was confirmed by measurements made in the Atlantic Ocean and the Arabian Sea. References and links to related sites are included. Full description.

From 1984 to 1991, the USGS conducted the first systematic mapping of an Exclusive Economic Zone on the sea floor of the Continental Shelf. Materials presented here detail the history of these activities and describe how evolving technology has allowed faster, more economical, and more efficient seafloor mapping. Topics include mapping history, current activities, and a discussion of high-resolution ... Full description.

Materials presented here describe how new data from surveys, satellite imagery, and buoys have led to a revised view of the nature of the coastal upwelling that occurs seasonally off the coast of California. Includes references and links to related sites. Full description.