Drainage Basin Key Terms Flashcards
Interception
When some precipitation lands on vegetation and structures like buildings and concrete before it reaches the soil.
Vegetation storage
Water that’s been taken up by plants/vegetation.
Surface storage
Water that is on the surface e.g. puddles, ponds, lakes.
Groundwater storage
Water that is stored in the ground either in the soil or in the rocks.
Channel storage
The water held in a river or stream channel.
Surface runoff
Water that is flowing over the land. Common in arid areas where torrential rain falls on hard baked land
Throughfall
Water that drips from one leaf to another
Stemflow
Water running down a plant stem or a tree trunk
Throughflow
Water moving slowly downhill through the soil.
Infiltration
Water soaking into the soil. (Rates are influenced by soil type and soil structure and how much water is already in the soil).
Percolation
Water seeping down through soil into the water table
Groundwater flow
Water flowing slowly below the water table through permeable rock.
Baseflow
Groundwater flow that feeds into the rivers through river banks and river beds.
Interflow
Water flowing downhill through permeable rock above the water table.
Channel flow
The water flowing in the river or stream itself. Also known as river discharge
Evaporation
Water turning into water vapour (Liquid to gas)
Transpiration
Evaporation from plant leaves. (Plants and trees take up water through their roots and transport it to their leaves where it evaporates)
Evapotranspiration
The process of evaporation and transpiration together.
River discharge/River flow
An output.
