5.2 Definitions Flashcards
Precipitation
The input into a drainage basin system. It includes all forms of moisture entering: hail, snow, dew, frost, sleet and rain.
Interception storage
The storage of water when it lands on vegetation (or structures like buildings) before it reaches the soil. it is a temporary store before evaporation or stemflow.
Surface storage
The storage of water on the surface including puddles, ponds and lakes
Groundwater storage
The storage of water in soil. Water is held in the small gaps between soil particles
Channel store
The storage of water in the river channel. as water is being transported to the sea it is a store of water
Vegetation storage
The storage of water in the vegetation. Plants and trees take up water through their roots and water is stored here
Surface runoff
The horizontal flow of water over the surface of the land either in little channels or over the whole surface - this is usually a quick flow
Throughfall
The downwards flow of water moving downwards from interception storage to the surface
Soil Throughflow
The horizontal flow of water moving through soil (between the particles) towards the river
Infiltration
The downwards movement of water from the surface into the soil
Percolation
The downwards movement of water from the soil to the permeable ground rock
Groundwater flow
The horizontal movement of moving through the rocks (cracks/ bedding planes/ pores) slowly towards the river. This is the movement of water below the water table sideways to the river
Channel flow
The movement of water in the river channel moving towards the sea
Evaporation
The output of water when water is heated and turned from a liquid into a gas
Transpiration
The output of water where moisture is taken into plants through their roots, moved to the leaves by capillary action and then evaporates from leaves into a gas
