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Water Science Photo Gallery
Why is the ocean salty? Rivers discharge mineral-rich water to the oceans

Satellite view of La Plata River discharge to the Atlantic Ocean. One way minerals and salts are deposited into the oceans is from outflow from rivers, which drain the landscape, thus causing the oceans to be salty.

Satellite view of La Plata River discharge to the Atlantic Ocean. One way minerals and salts are deposited into the oceans is from outflow from rivers, which drain the landscape, thus causing the oceans to be salty.

Credit: UNESCO

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/2010/gallery/saline-inflow-oceans.html
Page Contact Information: Howard Perlman
Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 18-Dec-2012 07:51:18 EST