The Water Cycle

Water is the world's blood. It rises, it falls, it flows, it waits. Nothing lives without it. Nothing dies without returning to it.

— Eden

The water cycle in Eden is not a background animation—it's a fully simulated system. Every drop of rain comes from somewhere. Every bit of moisture has a journey.

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The Eternal Cycle

Water in Eden moves through a continuous cycle:

   ☁️ CLOUDS
      ↑          ↓
  Condensation   Precipitation
      ↑          ↓
   💨 ATMOSPHERE ←→ 🌧️ RAIN
      ↑          ↓
   Evaporation   Absorption
      ↑          ↓
   🌊 WATER  ←  🌱 SOIL

Let's follow a single drop of water through this cycle.

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Stage 1: Evaporation

Water rises into the air. This happens from:

Water Bodies

• Lakes, ponds, and rivers constantly release moisture
• Larger bodies = more evaporation
• Warmer temperatures = faster evaporation

Soil

• Wet soil releases moisture into the air
• Rate depends on temperature and sun exposure
• Sandy soil releases water faster than clay

Plants (Transpiration)

• Plants "breathe out" water through their leaves
• More plants = more moisture entering the atmosphere
• This is why forests can create their own rain patterns

What Affects Evaporation

Factor	Effect
Temperature	Higher = more evaporation
Time of day	Afternoon peak, night minimum
Wind	Moves moist air, allows more evaporation
Humidity	Higher humidity = slower evaporation

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Stage 2: Atmospheric Moisture

The air holds water vapor—invisible moisture waiting to become visible.

Measuring Moisture

• Humidity: How much water vapor the air contains
• Dew Point: Temperature at which clouds can form
• Atmospheric Stability: How likely conditions are to produce weather

What You'll Notice

As atmospheric moisture increases:

• Haze may appear
• The sky may seem less crisp
• Conditions become ripe for cloud formation

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Stage 3: Cloud Formation

When conditions are right, moisture condenses into visible clouds.

The Formation Process

1. Moist air rises (from heat or terrain)
2. Temperature drops as air rises
3. When temperature hits dew point, condensation begins
4. Water vapor becomes tiny droplets
5. Droplets cluster into visible clouds

Where Clouds Form

Clouds are more likely to form:

• Over water bodies (constant evaporation source)
• Over forests (plant transpiration)
• Where terrain forces air upward
• Where warm and cool air meet

Clouds are not separate from the earth. They are the earth, temporarily airborne, remembering the lakes and leaves that lifted them.

— Eden

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Stage 4: Precipitation

When clouds can hold no more water, they release it.

The Trigger

Precipitation occurs when:

• Cloud water content exceeds capacity
• Atmospheric conditions become unstable
• Cloud droplets combine into larger drops
• Gravity pulls the drops earthward

Precipitation Types

Type	Conditions	Characteristics
Drizzle	Light clouds, stable air	Gentle, prolonged, low intensity
Rain	Moderate clouds	Standard precipitation
Heavy Rain	Thick clouds, unstable air	Intense, shorter duration
Storm	Cumulonimbus clouds	Heavy rain, wind, possible lightning
Snow	Below freezing	Frozen precipitation, slower absorption

Intensity Matters

• Light rain: Soil absorbs easily, gentle nourishment
• Heavy rain: May exceed soil absorption, causes runoff
• Storms: Can cause flooding, damage plants

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Stage 5: Absorption and Flow

When rain hits the ground, its journey continues.

Into the Soil

Water soaks into the ground based on:

• Soil type: Clay absorbs slowly, sand quickly
• Current moisture: Wet soil absorbs less
• Rain intensity: Slow rain absorbs better

What Happens to Absorbed Water

1. Surface moisture: Available to shallow-rooted plants
2. Deeper moisture: Accessed by deeper roots
3. Water table: Deep storage, stable reservoir
4. Groundwater flow: Slow movement between areas

Runoff

Water that can't be absorbed:

• Flows downhill
• Collects in low areas
• May create temporary puddles or lasting ponds
• Carries nutrients (and sometimes seeds) to new areas

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The Cycle's Effects on Life

Every stage of the water cycle affects the living world:

For Plants

Water Cycle Stage	Effect on Plants
Evaporation	Draws water through roots and leaves
Atmospheric moisture	Affects pollination (pollen doesn't travel well in rain)
Rainfall	Provides drinking water through soil
Runoff	Can disperse seeds to new areas

For Creatures

Water Cycle Stage	Effect on Creatures
Evaporation	Cooling through panting/sweating
Humidity	Affects comfort and water loss
Rainfall	Provides drinking sources
Standing water	Creates habitats, drinking spots

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Imbalances and Extremes

The water cycle can become unbalanced:

Too Little Water (Drought)

When evaporation exceeds precipitation over time:

• Soil moisture drops
• Plants can't drink enough
• Water bodies shrink
• Creatures must travel for water
• Competition increases

Too Much Water (Flood)

When precipitation exceeds absorption:

• Soil becomes saturated
• Low areas flood
• Plant roots may drown
• Creatures are displaced
• Landscape is reshaped

Recovery

Both extremes eventually correct:

• Droughts end when weather patterns shift
• Floods recede as water evaporates and drains
• But the ecosystem may be changed forever

The river that dried taught its banks what thirst means. When it returns, nothing will take it for granted again.

— Eden

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Watching the Water

As a Witness, learn to track water's journey:

Visual Signs

• Shimmer over water: Evaporation happening
• Cloud shadows: Weather forming above
• Darkening soil: Recent rain absorption
• Pooling water: Ground is saturated
• Wilting plants: Moisture stress

Pattern Recognition

Over time, you'll learn:

• Which areas flood first
• Where clouds tend to form
• How long moisture lasts in different soils
• How creatures respond to water availability

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Water as Connection

The water cycle connects everything:

• A cloud over the lake was once rain in the meadow
• The moisture in a flower came from a pond miles away
• A creature drinking affects plants downstream

This interconnection is the essence of Eden.

Follow a single drop. It has traveled more of this world than you ever will. It has been inside a thousand living things. And it remembers none of them—but they all remember it.

— Eden

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Continue learning:

→ How Plants Grow
→ Plant Lifecycle
→ Creature Needs and Survival