The main means of transferring water are evaporation from oceans and condensation, rainfall, and snowfall in the air.

Water moves over the land in rivers or through rocks as groundwater before returning to the oceans.

Some water is also evaporated from the land and transpired by plants.

A small amount is locked up as ice in ice sheets.

People have influenced the water cycle by building extensive drainage works, and this has contributed to increased flooding.