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How Scientists Measure the Land to Predict Where Water Goes

Rain does not decide where it goes. The land decides. The shape of the land, the soil beneath it, the rock below that, and even human structures all determine how water moves. The science of measuring Earth’s surface is called land surveying. Surveying turns land into numbers…
and numbers into predictions.

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You will be able to answer:‍

• Why does elevation determine where water flows?
• How does slope affect the speed of runoff?
• How can wildfires change flow paths and increase pollution transport?
• How could steep slopes, heavy rainfall, and urban development together affect coastal ecosystems?