Drainage basin hydrological cycle Flashcards
Drainage basin
The area of land which drains water into a river, including all its tributaries
Watershed
Borderlines of drainage basins
Often found in mountainous regions
Drainage basin hydrological cycle
The movement of water in a drainage basin
Global vs drainage basin hydrological cycles
Local is an open system
Global is a closed system
Precipitation
Water falling from clouds in the atmosphere
Surface runoff
The movement of water over the surface of the ground to the river
Infilration
The process where water enters the soil
Surface storage
Precipitation retained at surface level
I.e. puddles
Interception
Water trapped on vegetation so it can’t go into stores or flows
Transpiration
Loss of water from leaf stomata
Channel flow
Water flowing in a river
Percolation
Deep transfer of water into permeable rocks
Groundwater storage
Water stored in permeable rocks below the surface
Soil water
Water stored in the soil after infiltration
Evaporation
When water changes from a liquid to a gas and escapes to the atmosphere
Groundwater flow
The movement of water through rocks to the river
Stem flow
Water running down stems and bits of vegetation
Channel storage
The amount of water held in a river at a particular time
River runoff
The movement of water in the form of a river
Evapotranspiration
Combination of evaporation and transpiration
Stores
Interception Surface storage Soil water Groundwater storage Channel storage
Inputs
Precipitation
Processes
Stem flow Infiltration Percolation Surface runoff Throughflow Groundwater flow Channel flow River runoff
