Body of water

A body of water or waterbody (often water body) is any significant accumulation of water on the surface of Earth or another planet. The term most often refers to oceans, seas, and lakes, but it includes smaller pools of water such as ponds, wetlands, or more rarely, puddles. A body of water does not have to be still or contained; rivers, streams, canals, and other geographical features where water moves from one place to another are also considered bodies of water.

Most are naturally occurring geographical features, but some are artificial. There are types that can be either. For example, most reservoirs are created by engineering dams, but some natural lakes are used as reservoirs. Similarly, most harbors are naturally occurring bays, but some harbors have been created through construction.

Bodies of water that are navigable are known as waterways. Some bodies of water collect and move water, such as rivers and streams, and others primarily hold water, such as lakes and oceans.

Bodies of water are affected by gravity, which is what creates the tidal effects. Moreso, the impact of climate change on water is likely to intensify as observed through the rising sea levels, water acidification and flooding. This means that climate change has pressure on water bodies.

Types

Bodies of water can be categorized into:

1. Rain water
2. Surface water
3. Underground water

There are some geographical features involving water that are not bodies of water, for example, waterfalls, geysers and rapids.

Gallery

See also

• Bank (geography) – Land alongside a body of water
• Bog – Type of wetland with peat-rich soil
• Fluvial processes – Sediment processes associated with rivers and streamsPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Glossary of landforms
• Lists of bodies of water
• Port – Maritime facility where ships may dock to load and discharge passengers and cargo
• Water mass – Body of water with common formation history
• Water pollution – Contamination of water bodies

References

Sources

• Mitsch, W.J. and J.G. Gosselink. 2007. Wetlands, 4th ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 582 pp.

Citations

External links

• Types of Water Bodies (archived 12 November 2011)

1. Body water
2. Body of water (disambiguation)
3. Kill (body of water)
4. Guaíba (water body)
5. They Are Gutting a Body of Water
6. Lists of bodies of water
7. Bodies of Water
8. List of bodies of water by salinity
9. Sound (geography)
10. Body fluid
11. Brackish water
12. Stratification (water)
13. Water pollution
14. Bodies of water of Seattle
15. List of brackish bodies of water
16. Lists of islands
17. List of water deities
18. Body of Water (film)
19. Molluscum contagiosum
20. Jennifer's Body