Drainage Basins Flashcards
What is a rivers drainage basin?
The area surrounding the river where rain falling on the land flows into the river.
What is the boundary of a drainage basin?
The watershed.
What type of systems are drainage basins?
Open.
What are the inputs drainage system?
Input: Precipitation
How is water stored in a drainage basin?
Interception: precipitation that lands on vegetation or other structures like buildings. (Only temporary because it gets evaporated)
Soil storage: moisture held in the soil.
Define infiltration.
Water soaking into the soil. Depends on soil type, soil structure and soil saturation.
Define overland flow.
(Runoff) water flowing over the land on the surface or in little channels.
This occurs when precipitation rates are more than infiltration rates.
Define throughfall.
Throughfall is water dripping from one leaf to another.
Define stem flow.
Water running down a plant or tree.
Define throughflow.
Water moving slowly downhill through the soil.
Define percolation.
Water seeping down through soil into the water table.
Define groundwater flow.
Water flowing below the water table through permeable rock.
Define base flow.
Groundwater flow that feeds into rivers through river banks and beds.
Define inter flow.
Water flowing downhill through permeable rock above the water table.
Define channel flow.
The water flowing in the river or steam itself (river discharge)
