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AS Geography > 1. Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology > Flashcards

1. Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is hydrology

A

the scientific study of the properties, distribution and effects of water on the Earth’s surface, in the soil and underlying rocks and in the atmosphere

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2
Q

Hydrological cycle

A

The continous process by which water is circulated throughout the Earth and its atmosphere

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3
Q

Open system

A

A region seperated from its surroundings by a boundary that admits a transfer of matter or energy across it

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4
Q

Closed system

A

a region that is isolated from its surroundings by a boundary that admits no transfer of matter or energy across it

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5
Q

Input

A

the addition of matter, energy or information into a system

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6
Q

Output

A

the movement of matter, energy or information out of a system

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7
Q

Watershed

A

a ridge of high land dividing two areas that are drained by different river systems

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8
Q

Drainage basin

A

an area drained by a river system, including all areas that gather precipitation and direct it to a particular stream, stream system, lake or other body of water

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9
Q

catchment area

A

area of land bounded by watersheds draining into a river, basin or resevoir

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10
Q

Precipitation

A

conversion and transfer of moisture in the atmosphere to the land

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11
Q

Interception

A

the capture of precipitation by the plant canopy and its subsequent return to the atmosphere via evaporation or sublimation

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12
Q

Throughfall

A

the process of precipitation passing through the plant canopy and landing on the ground

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13
Q

Stemflow

A

the process that directs precipitation down plant branches and stems into the ground

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14
Q

Overland flow, surface runoff

A

When water flows over the surface of the ground

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15
Q

Discharge

A

the volume of water passing through a certain point of a river at a given time

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16
Q

Infiltration

A

the absorption and downward movement of water into the soil layer

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17
Q

Infiltration capacity

A

the maximum rate at which rain can be absorbed by soil in a given condition

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18
Q

Throughflow

A

the flow of water through soil or regolith via natural pipelines and percolines

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19
Q

Baseflow

A

the normal level of a river fed by groundwater seeping into the bed of the river

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20
Q

Groundwater

A

water stored underground in permeable rock, e.g limestone

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21
Q

Recharge

A

The refilling of groundwater levels following abstraction

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22
Q

Water table

A

the upper layer of permanently saturated pore spaces in the groundwater zone

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23
Q

spring

A

a natural flow of water from rock or soil onto the land surface or into a body of water

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24
Q

Evaporation

A

The process by which liquid is converted into a Gaseous state

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25
Q

Transpiration

A

the process by which water vapour escapes from a living plant, principally the leaves and enters the atmosphere

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26
Q

evapotranspiration

A

the combined losses of evaporation and transpiration

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27
Q

Aquifers

A

rocks that contain significant quantities of water

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28
Q

soil moisture

A

the subsurface water in the soil

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29
Q

field capacity

A

the amount of water held in the soil after the excess water drains away

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30
Q

Gauging station

A

a site on a body of water where observations and data are obtained

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31
Q

Infiltration excess flow, Hortonian flow

A

when water enters a soil system faster than the soil can absorb or move it

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32
Q

River regime

A

Annual variation in the flow of a river

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33
Q

Storm hydrograph, flood hydrograph

A

Graph that shows how a drainage basin responds to a period of rainfall

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34
Q

Time lag

A

the time between the height of the storm and the maximum flow in the river

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35
Q

Rising limb

A

the section of the storm hydrograph that shows how quickly the waters begin to rise

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36
Q

falling limb

A

section of the storm hydrograph that shows the speed with which the water level in the river declines after the peak

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37
Q

Peak Flow

A

Maximum discharge of the river as a result of the storm

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38
Q

Quickflow

A

the water that gets into the river as a result of overland runoff

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39
Q

Drainage density

A

the total length of all the streams and rivers in a drainage basin divided by the total area of the drainage basin

40
Q

antecedent moisture

A

the amount of moisture in the soil before a rainfall event

41
Q

porosity

A

the fraction of open space in a rock

42
Q

permeability

A

measure of the ability of soil, sediments and rock to transport water horizontally and vertically

43
Q

Load capacity

A

the largest amount of materiel that a stream can carry

44
Q

load competence

A

the diameter of the largest partical that can be carried

45
Q

critical erosion velocity

A

the lowest velocity at which grains of a given size can be moved

46
Q

laminar flow

A

when water flows in sheets or lamina parallel to the channel bed

47
Q

turbulent flow

A

a series of fast eddies and vertical movemnt caused by the roughness of the channel

48
Q

helicoidal flow

A

the corkscrewing spiral flow within a river responsible for the formation of meanders

49
Q

abrasion/corrasion

A

the physical wearing away of the river channel by the abrasive action of the load carried by the river

50
Q

solution

A

the chemical dissolving of particles carried by a river

51
Q

Hydraulic action

A

the ability of moving water to dislodge and transport materiels from its bed and banks

52
Q

transportation

A

the movement of a rivers load downstream, carried by the force of the river

53
Q

traction

A

the rolling or sliding of larger particle on the riverbed by the rivers current

54
Q

suspension

A

when fine, smaller particles are carried downstream by a rivers current without making contact with the bed

55
Q

saltation

A

when medium sized particles bounce along the riverbed as they are too heavy to be entirely suspended

56
Q

cavitation

A

a process of intense erosion due to the surface collapse of airbubbles found in constricted, rapid flows of water

57
Q

deposition velocity

A

the velocity at which the river can no longer support a load of a given size and thus begins to deposit it on the river bed

58
Q

bed load

A

particles that are transported along the riverbed by rolling sliding or saltation

59
Q

solute load

A

the dissolved particles which make up part of a rivers load

60
Q

floodplain

A

flat area found alongside the stream channel that is prone to flooding and recieves alluvium deposits when flooding occurs

61
Q

braiding

A

when a river channel is divided by reoccuring islands or bars formed by deposition

62
Q

eyot/ait

A

small island in a river or lake

63
Q

meander

A

a significant bend in a sinous river

64
Q

overbankful discharge

A

the overflowing of a river channel caused by too much water flowing for the channel to contain it all

65
Q

plunge pool

A

a pool at the foot of a waterfall formed by the erosion of the riverbed

66
Q

riffle

A

rocky sandbar lying below the surface of a waterway

67
Q

rapids

A

part of a river where the current is very rough and turbulent due to the bumpy nature of the riverbed.

68
Q

undercutting

A

a steep slope created on the outside of a meander bend by erosion

69
Q

slip off slope

A

the slope on the inside of the meander bend formed by the deposition of the rivers load in slower flowing water

70
Q

waterfall

A

cascade of falling water from a height formed where the river erodes a band of softer rock after flowing over an area of more resistant materiel

71
Q

gorge

A

steep sided rocky valley formed by the retreat of a waterfall upstream

72
Q

levee

A

river embankments build by the deposition of a river as it floods

73
Q

bluff

A

a steep cliff of rock bordering a river or its floodplain

74
Q

ox bow lake

A

a meander that has been cut off from the rest of the river to form a small lake

75
Q

alluvial fan

A

fan shaped deposit of sediments found where the erosional stream channels meet the valley floor, depositing the stream load

76
Q

delta

A

a river mouth choked with sediment causing the main channel to split into smaller branching channels or distributaries

77
Q

recurrence interval

A

the average time period that seperates natural events

78
Q

hard engineering

A

the controlling of the natural processes of a river by the construction of manmade structures such as dams

79
Q

soft engineering

A

use of ecological principles and practices (afforestation) to reduce the effects of a rivers natural processes in a manner that preserves the natural environment

80
Q

Dam

A

barrier constructed across a waterway to constrict its flow

81
Q

Levees(artifical)

A

man made embankments to prevent a river from overflowing

82
Q

How does groundwater recharge occur

A

Infiltration of precipitation
Seepage of water through the banks and beds of surface water bodies
Groundwater leakage and inflow from adjacent rocks and aquifers

83
Q

What influences the river regime

A 
Amount and nature of precipitation
Local rocks, porosity and permeability
shape or morphology of the drainage basin area
soil cover and soil  type
vegetation cover and type
84
Q

How does precipitation type and intensity influence the flood hydrograph

A

Intensive rainfall produces overland flow and a steep rising limb and high peak flow. Low intensity rainfall is likely to slowly infiltrate into the soil and percolate, increasing time lag and reducing peak flow. Rapid melting of snow can lead to high overland flow and peak flows

85
Q

How does temperature and evapotranspiration influence the flood hydrograph

A

High temperatures lead to more evaporation, warm air can hold more water so the potential for high peak flows in warm areas are raised

86
Q

How does antecedent moisture influence the flood hydrograph

A

If the ground is near saturation, additional rainfall will produce overland flow, high peak flow and short time lag

87
Q

How does drainage basin and shape influence the flood hydrograph

A

Smaller drainage basins respond quickly to rainfall conditions. Circular drainage basins respond more quickly than linear drainage basins

88
Q

How does drainage density influence the flood hydrograph

A

High drainage density e,g urban areas with sewers respond very quickly. Short time lag

89
Q

How does porosity and impermeability of soils influence the flood hydrograph

A

Impermeabililty causes water to flow over land. Causes greater peak flows
Urban areas have large areas of impermeable surfaces
Rocks like chalk or gravel are permeable and allow water to inflitrate and percolate. Reduces peak flow and increases time lag

90
Q

How do slopes influence the flood hydrograph

A

Steeper slopes create more overland flow, shorter time lags and higher peak flows

91
Q

How does vegetation type influence the flood hydrograph

A

Broad leafed vegetation intercept more rainfall, especially in summer, and so reduce the amount of overland flow, peak flow and increases time lag. In winter, decidous trees lose their leaves and intercept less

92
Q

How does land use influence the flood hydrograph

A

Land use that creates impermeable surfaces or reduces vegetation cover, reduces interception and increases overland flow. However, if more drainage channels are built, the water is carried to rivers very quickly. This increases peak flow and reduces time lag

93
Q

Examples of flows

A

rainfall
rivers
evaporation
surface runoff

94
Q

Examples of stores

A 
Resevoirs
Ice
Snow
Clouds
Groundwater
Vegetation
95
Q

Degradation

A

The lowering of a riverbed over a period of time

96
Q

Aggradation

A

Build-up of the level of any land srface by the deposition of sediment

97
Q

How are pools and riffles formed

A

Turbulence cause the deposition of coarse sediments at high velocity points

AS Geography (10 decks)

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