Introduction Water and wind are important elements for our daily lives. Water is in rivers, lakes, and oceans. More than two-thirds of the world is water. Wind is moving air. The air is all around us. Water and wind are also very powerful forces of nature. They shape our world. Over time, flowing water wears away the surrounding rock and soil. When water wears away Earth's surfaces, it is called erosion. Strong winds also can cause erosion. Erosion changes the way Earth looks. Storms bring strong winds and a lot of rain. They can also change the way our planet looks. How Does Water Change Earth? Earth has oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. Most of the time these waters flow smoothly. Ocean water slowly wears away the shoreline. Ocean waves crashing against rocks can also cause erosion. Moving water slowly carves the edges of a riverbank. The Grand Canyon in Arizona was formed this way millions of years ago by the flowing water of the Colorado River. Sometimes water can change the land in a short amount of time. Storms can bring so much rain that rivers and lakes overflow. The water runs over the land. This is called a flood. Floodwater pushes things in its way. The land changes from the force of the moving water. Floodwaters damage homes and cars. How Does Wind Change Earth? The wind can be a gentle breeze. It can feel good when it blows on your face. Wind blows against rocks and soil too. It lifts small bits and carries them elsewhere. The bits are often too small to see or feel. Wind can change the shape of a rock. It can change the shape of a sand dune. The results of wind erosion can look very weird -- and very beautiful! However, wind erosion is not good for farmers' crops. Wind blows away the top layer of soil. That layer has things in it that help plants grow. Wind makes sandpiles at the beach. How Can We Control Water and Wind? Water and wind can cause a lot of damage to Earth. They can cause damage to people's things too. Scientists have figured out how many ways to try to lessen the damage. Hurricane Katrina caused rivers in New Orleans, Louisiana, to flood. This caused a lot of damage to the city. Walls can be built around rivers that flood when it rains heavily. A wall can also keep ocean waves from striking land. Sometimes homes are built close to shore. A wall can keep them safe from ocean water. Walls called "levees" were built higher to better protect New Orleans in the future. A wall of trees can help slow wind erosion. It can help keep farmers' crops healthy. The trees can block the wind from blowing away the crops. Conclusion Water and wind can wear away Earth's surface. They can change the way Earth looks. Some of the changes are brought about by erosion. Storms can have strong winds and cause flooding. Strong winds and floods can change and damage Earth's surface as well as people's possessions. Erosion and storms occur naturally. They are nature work. Sometimes beautiful canyons are created. Sometimes rocks with amazing shapes are formed. Sometimes things can get damaged. Scientists are working hard to find ways to lessen the damage that water and wind can cause. THE END