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When water falls from the sky, it naturally flows downhill. The rain hits the mountains and flows into rivers and lakes. People use certain places around their towns known as catchment areas to hold and use this water. All our drinking water comes from these catchment areas.
Look up hilly areas around major cities and see if you see some catchment areas on Google Earth to see why they chose that particular location.
Look up hilly areas around major cities and see if you see some catchment areas on Google Earth to see why they chose that particular location.
Skill Building
Let's create your own catchment area!
- Get a piece of old A4 printing paper
- Scrunch it up into a small ball. Stick it down on a surface outside.
- Get a sheet of newspaper and scrunch it up.
- Unscrunch the newspaper and place it over the A4 ball carefully.
- Stick the edges of the newspaper down. You have made a small mountain scene.
- Get some water and pour slowly over the newspaper area to see the water runoff and find the natural catchment areas.