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SOL 4.8 - Virginia's Watersheds and Natural Resources
    Key concepts include:
  1. watersheds and water resources;
  2. animals and plants;
  3. minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources;
  4. forests, soil, and land
WATERSHEDS
  • A watershed is an area over which surface water (and the materials it carries) flows to a single collection place.
  • The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers approximately half of Virginia’s land area.
  • The other two major watershed systems are the Gulf of Mexico and the North Carolina Sounds.
VIRGINIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES
  • Virginia is rich in a wide variety of natural resources, including forests, arable (farmable) land, coal, sand and aggregates (rocks), wildlife and aquatic organisms, clean water and air, and beautiful scenery.
  • Virginia’s water resources include groundwater, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, bays, and the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Virginia has a great variety of plant and animal resources.
  • Natural and cultivated forests are a widespread resource in Virginia.
  • Virginia’s soil and land support a great variety of life, provide space for many economic activities, and offer a variety of recreational opportunities.
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