Drainage basin Flashcards
Define drainage basin
An area of land drained by a river and it’s tributaries.
Define watershed
The dividing line between 2 drainage basins
Define source
The start of a river
Define mouth
Where the river enters the sea or lake
Define tributary
A smaller river that is joined to a larger river
Define confluence
The point at which 2 rivers meet
What is precipitation?
Any form of water falling from the sky
What is interception?
When the leaves of trees stop precipitation reaching the ground
What is soil moisture?
When water is stored in the soil layer
What is transpiration?
The process where plants absorb water through their roots and then give off water vapour from the pores in their leaves
What is infiltration?
The movement of water from the surface into the soil
What is surface run-off?
The movement of water overland back into a river
What is surface storage?
Water stored on the surface in lakes or puddles
What is through-flow?
The movement of water through the soil back into the river
What is groundwater flow?
The flow of water through the rock layer
