Introduction | How Does Water Get In and Out of Oceans?
Who Needs Oceans? | When Saltwater Meets Freshwater!

How does the water get into the oceans?
Most water is carried into the oceans by rivers. The place where a river meets the ocean is called a delta or estuary. These are special environments where the freshwater from rivers mixes with the salty ocean water. Some other water gets into the oceans when groundwater seeps out of the ground or when rain falls over the ocean.

How long does water spend in the oceans?
A drop of water spends an average of 3,230 years in the oceans before moving on to its next journey in the water cycle. That’s a long time!

How does it get out of the oceans?
Water evaporates, changing from a liquid to a gas called water vapor, at the surface of the oceans. This helps keep the water cycle going by moving water from the oceans to the atmosphere! When the water evaporates, the salt is left behind in the ocean.