Book 16, Question 101
Where Does an Oasis Get Its Water?
An oasis gets its water from underground, and that water often began as rain or snow on faraway mountains! It soaks into the ground, travels slowly through rock, and comes up near the surface. Where the water is, plants grow, and animals and people come to visit.
More fun facts
- Many oases get their water from underground layers of water called aquifers.
- Rain that falls far away can fill an aquifer and raise water close to the surface.
- The oasis of AlUla in Saudi Arabia formed where a desert ravine brought water from faraway rains.
- Migrating birds drawn to the water dropped seeds, and the oasis sprang to life.
- Long ago, people at nearby Hegra dug 130 wells and stored water in huge tanks.
Sources: National Geographic, National Geographic, NASA
Questions kids ask
What is an aquifer?
It is an underground layer that holds water. Rain that falls far away can fill one and raise water close to the surface.