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5 The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity > EQ1 - Water Cycle Processes > Flashcards

EQ1 - Water Cycle Processes Flashcards

1
Q

How is the the global hydrological cycle defined?

A

The circulation of water around the earth

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2
Q

What is the name of a type of system where there are no external inputs or outputs

(ie the amount of water is finite and constant)

A

Closed system

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3
Q

Though the amount of global water is finite and constant, what does change about water through the hydrological system?

A

Its state (liquid, vapour, ice)

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4
Q

The proportions of global water held in each state (water, vapour, ice) varies over time.

True or False?

A

True - due to climatic changes

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5
Q

What are the 2 types of energy that drive the hydrological system and why?

A
  1. Solar Energy
  • heat causes evaporation
  1. Gravitational Potential Energy
  • causes rivers to flow downhill and precipitation to fall
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6
Q

How is a store defined?

A

Reservoirs where water is held

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7
Q

What are the 4 main stores of water in the global hydrological cycle?

A
  1. Oceans (largest)
  2. Glaciers and Ice sheets
  3. Surface run-off
  4. The atmosphere
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8
Q

What does ‘surface run-off’ include as a store?

A

All land-based stores

(rivers, lakes, groundwater etc.)

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9
Q

What is the largest FRESHWATER store?

A

The cryosphere (glaciers and ice sheets)

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10
Q

What % of global freshwater is held by the cryosphere? (glaciers, ice sheets)

A

69%

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11
Q

What % of global freshwater is held by the second largest store, surface run-off? (rivers, lakes etc.)

A

30%

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12
Q

How are flows defined?

A

The transfers of water from one store to another

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13
Q

How are fluxes defined?

A

The rates of flow between stores

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14
Q

FLOWS AND FLUXES DATA

A
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15
Q

What does the global water budget account for?

A

All of the water held in STORES and FLOWS

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16
Q

What % of the global water budget (all water) is freshwater?

A

2.5%

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17
Q

How much of all freshwater within the global water budget is considered ‘easily accessible surface freshwater’?

A

Only 1% of all freshwater

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18
Q

Where is 70% of all global freshwater ‘locked up’?

A

Glaciers and Ice sheets (cryosphere)

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19
Q

What is ‘residence time’ in the hydrological cycle?

A

The average time a molecule of water will spend in one of the stores

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20
Q

What are the average ‘residence times’ in the (1) atmosphere, (2) oceans, and (3) ice caps?

A

10 days in the atmosphere

up to 3,600 years in the oceans

15,000 years in an ice cap

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21
Q

What are the 2 water stores that are believed to be non-renewable? (depletable)

A

Fossil Water and the Cryosphere

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22
Q

What is ‘Fossil Water’

A

Deep groundwater from pluvial (wetter) periods in the geological past

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23
Q

How is ‘the cryosphere’ defined?

A

Areas of the world where ice/snow is present for part of the year

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24
Q

Why may the cryosphere not be ‘non-renewable’?

A

If another glacial period occurs, more water will become locked in the cryosphere

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25
Q

What is the most alarming figure for humans about the global water budget?

A

Only 1% of freshwater is accessible

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26
Q

What are the 3 types of rainfall?

A
  1. Convectional
  2. Frontal
  3. Relief (orographic)
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27
Q

Explain the process of Convectional rainfall

A
  1. Sun warms the ground
  2. Evaporation
  3. Warm air rises
  4. Rising air cools
  5. Cool air condenses (clouds)
  6. Falls as rain
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28
Q

Explain the process of Frontal rainfall

A
  1. Warm air mass meets cold, denser air mass (known as a front)
  2. Warm air rises over cold air
  3. Rising warm air cools
  4. Moisture condenses as cloud
  5. Rainfall
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29
Q

Explain the process of Relief rainfall

A
  1. Warm air travels inland
  2. Air meets mountains and is forced upward
  3. Upward air cools at altitude
  4. Rain falls on the windward side of mountain
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30
Q

Where in the world is convectional rainfall common?

A

Tropical rainforests

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31
Q

Where in the world is frontal rainfall common?

A

The UK

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32
Q

Where in the UK is relief rainfall common?

A

The North/North West - coastal areas with high relief

(e.g Lake District, Scottish Highlands)

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33
Q

What is the main ‘input’ into the hydrological cycle?

A

Precipitation

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34
Q

How does type of precipitation (e.g snow) affect the speed of drainage with the hydrological cycle?

A

Varies in speed due to precipitation state

e.g Snow takes time to melt back into water

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35
Q

How does precipitation intensity affect the drainage basin?

A

More likely to flood

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36
Q

How does seasonality influence the drainage basin?

A

Drainage basin system operates at different ‘flow’ levels at different times of the year

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37
Q

Define interception (flow)

A

The retention of water by plants

  • this water is eventually evaporated or absorbed by vegetation
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38
Q

Define infiltration (flow)

A

Where water is absorbed by the soil

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39
Q

Define Percolation (flow)

A

The deeper transfer of water into permeable rocks

  • (similar to infiltration but deeper)
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40
Q

Define throughflow (flow)

A

The movement of water downhill, through the soil

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41
Q

Define groundwater flow (flow)

A

Very slow movement of water through deep permeable rocks

  • occurs after percolation has happened
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42
Q

Define surface runoff (flow)

A

Movement of water over the surface

  • this flow is unconfined by a channel, differing it from a river
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43
Q

Define river/channel flow (flow)

A

Movement of water within a confined channel

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44
Q

Define ‘Input’ to the Hydrological system

A

Addition of water to a specific part of the system

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45
Q

Define ‘output’ to the Hydrological system

A

Redistribution of water from one part of the system to another (e.g evaporation)

  • remember, water is CONSTANT - output is not a reduction in total water
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46
Q

Define evaporation (output)

A

Process where moisture is lost directly into the atmosphere

  • this can be from water surfaces, soil or rocks
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47
Q

Define transpiration (output)

A

Process by which water is lost to the atmosphere through plants

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48
Q

Define discharge (output)

A

Channel flow into another larger area

  • this could be a larger drainage basin, lake or sea
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49
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

  • also known as a river catchment
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50
Q

What is the name given to the boundary of a drainage basin?

A

Watershed

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51
Q

The drainage basin is a subsystem within the hydrological system.

True or False?

A

True

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52
Q

What type of system is the drainage basin?

It has external inputs and outputs

A

Open system

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53
Q

The amount of water in a drainage basin doesn’t vary with input (precipitation)

True or False?

A

False - more input (precipitation) causes more water stored in the basin

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54
Q

How does climate affect the hydrological system?

A

Influences the amount of inputs (precipitation) and outputs in the system

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55
Q

How does climate affect vegetation?

A

Decides the type/cover of vegetation

  • Tropical amazon has more interception than UK
56
Q

How do soils affect the hydrological system?

A

Affect flows within the system

e.g infiltration, throughflow and surface run-off

57
Q

What do more permeable/less permeable soils allow for? (types of flow)

A

More permeable soils = more infiltration and throughflow

Less permeable soils = more surface run-off

58
Q

How does geology affect the the hydrological system?

A

Affect subsurface flows within the system

  • due to variations in permeability of rocks
59
Q

How do permeable/impermeable rocks affect groundwater stores?

A

Permeable rocks allow for percolation - water can reach groundwater stores

Impermeable rocks limit percolation - restricting groundwater supply

60
Q

What 2 ways does relief influence the hydrological system?

A
  1. Encourages orographic (relief) rainfall
  2. Increases surface run-off
61
Q

How does relief affect the amount of infiltration?

A

Steeper slopes accelerate run-off and allow no opportunity for infiltration

62
Q

What 4 ways does vegetation impact the hydrological system?

A
  1. More interception
  2. Reduced surface run-off
  3. More transpiration
  4. More infiltration (slows movement of water to soil)
63
Q

How does the presence of vegetation impact flows?

A
  • Reduces surface run off
  • More interception and infiltration
64
Q

What are the 5 physical factors that influence the drainage basin?

A
  1. Climate
  2. Soils
  3. Geology
  4. Relief
  5. Vegetation
65
Q

What 2 things do humans most often modify which disrupts the drainage basin system?

A
  1. Rivers
  2. Ground surface (shape, texture, coverage etc.)
66
Q

Man-made changes to the drainage basin system, (often by modifying Rivers or the Ground surface) accelerate processes acting within it.

True or False?

A

True

67
Q

How does construction of storage reservoirs affect the drainage basin?

A

Holds back channel flows

  • as more water is held back, less flows downstream
68
Q

How does the abstraction of groundwater for irrigation affect the drainage basin?

A

Reduces groundwater stores

69
Q

What 2 ways does deforestation affect the drainage basin?

A
  1. Reduces evapotranspiration
  2. increases surface run-off
70
Q

How does changing land use from arable (crops) to pastoral (livestock) affect the drainage basin?

A

Livestock compact soil

  • more surface run-off
  • less infiltration
71
Q

How does changing land use from pastoral (livestock) to arable (crops) affect the drainage basin?

A

Ploughing loosens soil

  • more infiltration
  • less surface run-off
72
Q

How do urban surfaces impact the drainage basin?

A

Urban surfaces are impermeable (e.g tarmac, tiling)

  • More surface run-off
  • Less percolation and infiltration
73
Q

How do man-made drains affect the drainage basin?

A

Rapidly deliver rainfall to channels

  • reduced time lag
  • higher chances of flooding
74
Q

What 4 human practices accelerate processes within the drainage basin?

A
  1. River Management
  2. Deforestation
  3. Agricultural land use
  4. Urbanisation (surfaces, drains etc.)
75
Q

Which tropical drainage basin has been severely impacted by deforestation?

A

The Amazon Basin

76
Q

How has deforestation caused lower humidity in the Amazon?

A

Reduced number of trees has decreased transpiration

77
Q

How has deforestation caused reduced precipitation in the Amazon?

A

Lower humidity has affected cloud formations, and in turn precipitation patterns

78
Q

How has deforestation caused increased surface run-off in the Amazon?

A

Fewer trees to intercept precipitation means there is more surface run off

79
Q

How has deforestation caused reduced infiltration in the Amazon?

A

Loss of tree roots and organic matter makes the soil less permeable

80
Q

How has deforestation caused more evaporation in the Amazon?

A

Soils and water bodies become more exposed without tree cover and evaporate quicker

81
Q

How has deforestation caused more soil erosion?

A

Vegetation and roots stabilise soils - without vegetation soils are vulnerable to erosion

82
Q

How has water quality and aquatic life been harmed by more soil erosion, caused by deforestation in the Amazon?

A

Eroded soil (due to less vegetation) means more silt is washed into river channels

83
Q

What is the water budget?

A

The annual balance between inputs and outputs in the hydrological cycle

84
Q

What is the formula used to calculate the water budget?

(remember it is the balance between inputs and outputs)

A

P = E + R +/- S

Precipitation
Evapotranspiration
Run-off
Storage (change)

85
Q

Define evapotranspiration

A

The combined loss of water from the Earth’s surface (ie total output)

  • made up of evaporation (water and soil) and transpiration (plants)
86
Q

Why are regional/national water budgets important to calculate?

A

Provide an indication of the amount of water available for human use

  • this can then be shared between agriculture, industry or domestic use)
87
Q

Why are local water budgets beneficial?

A

They inform about available soil water

88
Q

What is the name given to the amount of water that can be stored in the soil and is available for growing crops?

A

Available soil water

89
Q

Why is available soil water useful for Farmers?

A

Used to identify when/how much irrigation is required for crops

90
Q

THEN THERE IS ALSO A WEIRD DIAGRAM THING (5.3A)

A
91
Q

What is a river regime?

A

The annual variation in discharge/flow of a river at a certain point

92
Q

What is a river regime (variation in discharge/flow) measured in?

A

Cumecs

93
Q

What 6 factors affect a river regime?

A
  1. Size of river
  2. Amount, seasonality and intensity of precipitation
  3. Temperature
  4. Geology and soils (permeability)
  5. Type of vegetation cover
  6. Human activities
94
Q

How does the location (lower/upper course) of a river discharge measurement influence it’s regime?

A

Affects volume and variability of flow

e.g lower course has higher volume than upper course

95
Q

How does precipitation affect a river’s regime?

A

Determine flow patterns and therefore discharge

  • more intense rainfall causes higher discharge
96
Q

How do temperatures influence a river’s regime?

A

Impacts amount of meltwater from snow

Impacts rate of evaporation (especially during summer)

97
Q

How do more permeable/porous geology and soils affect a river’s regime?

A

Allows for more groundwater flow, maintaining base flow

98
Q

How does vegetation type (e.g wetlands) influence river regime?

A

Wetlands hold water and release it slowly into the river, reducing discharge

99
Q

How do human activities (e.g dams and river management) influence a river’s regime?

A

These activities aim at regulating discharge, altering river flow

100
Q

River regimes show discharge changes over the period of a year.

What do storm hydrographs show?

A

Discharge changes over a short period of time (e.g a storm)

  • often just a few days
101
Q

What 2 things are plotted on a storm hydrograph?

A
  1. Precipitation - x axis (short burst of rainfall)
  2. Discharge - y axis
102
Q

What does the ‘rising limb’ show on a hydrograph?

A

The sharp increase in river discharge following heavy precipitation

103
Q

What is ‘peak discharge’ on a hydrograph?

A

The highest point on the hydrograph

  • shows maximum river flow post-rainfall
104
Q

Define ‘lag time’ on a hydrograph

A

The delay between peak rainfall and peak discharge

105
Q

What does the ‘falling limb’ show on a hydrograph?

A

The decrease in river discharge as rainfall stops and water drains

106
Q

What is base flow on a hydrograph?

A

The normal, steady flow of a river

  • supplied mainly by groundwater
107
Q

The shape of a storm hydrograph of the same river remains the same year round.

True or False?

A

False - varies each time rainfall (storm) occurs

108
Q

What are hydrographs with very steep limbs, high peak discharge, and short lag times referred to as?

A

‘Flashy’ Hydrographs - the whole process occurs rapidly

109
Q

What are hydrographs with gently inclined limbs, low peak discharge, and a long lag time referred to as?

A

‘Flat’ Hydrographs - the process is much more drawn out

110
Q

What one factor contributes most to creating ‘flashy’ hydrographs?

A

Urbanisation

111
Q

How does construction work make hydrographs more ‘flashy’ ?

A

Leads to removal of vegetation cover and more exposed soil

Exposed soil reduces infiltration and increases surface run-off

112
Q

How does concreting and tarmac make hydrographs more ‘flashy’?

A

They are impermeable and don’t allow for infiltration

  • therefore there is more surface run-off
113
Q

How does building density make hydrographs more ‘flashy’?

A

Roofs intercept rainfall and channel into drains

114
Q

How do drains and sewers make hydrographs more ‘flashy’?

A

They rapidly funnel rainwater into river channels

115
Q

How does river channelisation make hydrographs more ‘flashy’?

A

Straightened river channel means peak discharge is reached quicker

  • lag time is very short
116
Q

How can bridges sometimes affect storm hydrographs?

A

They can restrain floodwater and act like dams

  • causes a delay downstream
  • also delays peak discharge, as water takes time to pass through the bridge
117
Q

What is the overall danger of urbanisation and it’s influence on ‘flashy’ hydrographs?

A

Increased flood risk

118
Q

What geographical factor makes urban areas even more prone to flooding?

A

Cities and towns often built in close proximity to them

  • historically due to trade, water supply and sewage disposal
119
Q

Why are planners becoming important players in managing the impacts of urbanisation on flood risk?

A
  • Many towns and cities are natural prone due to location
  • Population densities mean there are high numbers of vulnerable people
  • high property values and assets in urban areas
120
Q

What 3 methods are planners and authorities using to manage flood risk?

A
  1. Modifying/strengthening embankments
  2. Flood emergency procedures
  3. Land-use zoning
121
Q

What rock type leads to a ‘flashy’ hydrograph?

A

Impermeable rock (e.g granite)

  • restricts percolation
122
Q

What rock type leads to a ‘flat’ river?

A

Permeable rocks (e.g limestone)

  • allow for percolation
123
Q

What type of soils lead to a ‘flashy’ hydrograph?

A

Clay soils (low infiltration)

124
Q

What type of soils lead to a ‘flat’ hydrograph?

A

Sandy soils (high infiltration)

125
Q

What type of relief leads to a ‘flashy’ hydrograph?

A

Steep slopes

  • promote surface run-off
126
Q

What type of relief leads to a ‘flat’ hydrograph?

A

Gentle slopes

  • allow for infiltration and percolation
127
Q

What Basin size leads to a ‘flashy’ hydrograph?

A

Small basins

128
Q

What basin size leads to a ‘flat’ hydrograph?

A

Larger basins

129
Q

What shape basins lead to ‘flashy’ hydrographs?

A

Circular basins

  • funnel water more rapidly to a river channel
130
Q

What shape basins lead to ‘flat’ hydrographs?

A

Elongated basins

  • takes longer to reach river channel
131
Q

Hydrographs measure discharge at any 1 given point on the river course.

True or False

A

True

  • they don’t show discharge variation at different parts of a river
132
Q

How does an already wet (saturated) basin lead to a ‘flashy’ hydrograph?

A

Saturation allows for less infiltration/percolation

133
Q

How does a previously dry (unsaturated) basin lead to a ‘flat’ hydrograph?

A

Unsaturation means infiltration/percolation can occur

134
Q

How does low density vegetation lead to a ‘flashy’ hydrograph?

A

Lower levels of interception

  • more surface run off
135
Q

How does high density vegetation lead to a ‘flat’ hydrograph?

A

Higher interception levels

  • slower movement through the system
  • more water lost to transpiration

5 The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity (3 decks)

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