Where Does an Oasis Get Its Water?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Where does an oasis get its water?

The Big Idea

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.

Mountain Rain

Step one: water falls on mountains. High mountains catch rain and snow, even when the desert is bone dry. Melting snow soaks into the ground.

Underground Trip

Step two: the water travels underground. It slips into tiny gaps in sand and rock and flows downhill, very slowly. Some of it takes hundreds of years!

Water Comes Up

Step three: the water reaches the surface. At an oasis, a spring bubbles up, or a well reaches the water just below. Plants gather there, then animals and people follow.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! First, rain and snow fall on far-off mountains. Next, water sinks into rock and travels underground. Then it comes up at a spring, or people dig a well. And finally, palm trees grow in the green spot.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Some oasis water took hundreds of years to travel underground. That rain may have fallen long before your great-grandparents were born! Some oases are big enough for whole towns. Visit deserts with a grown-up, and bring water.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Fill a tray with sand and tilt it so one end is high. Pour water on the high end. The low spot that stays wet is where an oasis could form! Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

An oasis is a green spot fed by hidden mountain water. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!