The water cycle is also called the hydrologic cycle. It is the natural continuous process where water falls from the sky as precipitation, lands on pervious surfaces and soaks into the soil to replenish the groundwater or runs off to streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and the ocean. Moisture is returned to the atmosphere either by evaporation or through transpiration from the leaves of trees and vegetation. This water vapor rises, cools, and condenses into clouds before it returns to earth again as precipitation.
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