Learn about the Hydrological Cycle: 
Movement of Water in the Environment

• Solar energy evaporates water from the oceans. The water may then return as rain or snow (precipitation). Water can take different routes back to the atmosphere.
• Rain or snow falls. Most is intercepted by vegetation before it reaches the earth’s surface. Some water never reaches the ground and evaporates back into the atmosphere (interception).

• Some of the water that infiltrates the soil is taken up by plants and released via transpiration.

• Remaining water infiltrates down through layers of soil and substrate until it reaches the water table and recharges the groundwater.

• When the soil becomes saturated, overland flow carries water across 
  the land to ponds, lakes, or streams.