Chapter 4 - Water Sources and Treatment Options Flashcards
The science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation in the atmosphere, on the earth’s surface, and below the earth’s surface.
Hydrology
The movement of water to and from the surfaces of the Earth.
Hydrologic Cycle
Water that moves off land and water surfaces into the atmosphere.
Evaporation
The release of water into the air by plants, primarily through their leaves.
Transpiration
Water movement with the air currents in the atmosphere.
Advection
Water vapor in the air that forms tiny droplets.
Condensation
Water that falls out of the atmosphere as rain, snow, or ice.
Precipitation
The process of rainwater landing on vegetation, not reaching the ground.
Interception
The process of rainwater reaching the ground, soaking through the soil.
Infiltration
Water movement below the surface, influenced by gravity and the presence of natural barriers in the rock or soil.
Subsurface Flow
Water that reaches the ground and flows to nearby water bodies.
Runoff
Runoff that flows into small channels that feed into larger channels that carry rivers and streams.
Channel Flow
The removal of water from circulation because it is frozen, held in a lake aboveground, or held in an aquifer belowground.
Storage
Water that has collected as snow or ice that has been released as a liquid.
Snowmelt
Subsurface water occupying the saturation zone, from which wells & springs are fed.
In a strict sense, the term applies only to water below the water table.
Groundwater
A porous, water-bearing geologic formation.
Generally restricted to materials capable of yielding an appreciable supply of water.
Aquifer
An indication of the volume of space within a given amount of material.
Porosity
The characteristic of how easily water will flow through a material.
Permeability
A location where groundwater emerges on the surface of the ground.
Spring
All water on the surface, as distinguished from groundwater.
Surface Water
An area from which surface runoff is carried away by a single drainage system.
Also called a catchment area, watershed, or watershed drainage area.
Drainage Basin
Pleasing to the taste.
Palatable
