Hydrologic Cycle Flashcards
What does flux mean
rate of flow, movement between reservoirs
Is the flux in and out of the ocean balanced
yeas, almost
What is orographic precipitation
occurs when moist air is forced to ascend over a mountain range. As the air rises is cools and condenses, leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation
What is a rain shadow
a dry area on the downwind side of a mountain range caused by orographic
Can warm air or cold air hold more water
warm air
water vapor of air is ________ dependent. water vapor capacity of air _______ with temperature
temperature
increases
climate variations are often linked to average air __________ and water __________
temperature
vapor
relative humidity is water vapor content or air expressed as a percentage of the water vapor _______ of the air
capacity
water vapor condenses if temperature decreases and relative humidity reaches ______
100%
residence times describes what
volume of water in a steady state reservoir divided by the inflow or outflow rate
how much liquid water is sea water
99%
emphasize liquid
is water renewable on the human timescale
no
What is most of Canadas water used for
energy generation and industrial processes
Which of the following have the highest water demand and water quality impact: Agriculture, Urban, recreation, mining, forestry
agriculture
Which of the following have the lowest water demand and water quality impact: Agriculture, Urban, recreation, mining, forestry
forestry
Does mining or recreation have a higher water water quality impact? and water demand?
recreation has a higher water demand. Mining has a higher water quality impact
What are the 5 main human activities that affect water quality
Agriculture, urban, recreation, mining, and forestry
what factors can lead to hydrology runoff
rate of rainfall exceeds infiltration capacity.
residual moisture decreases infiltration capacity.
frozen soil limits infiltration capacity
groundwater discharges from topographic lows
urbanization prevents infiltration
total area feeding water to a drainage system is a
watershed
_______ streams feed higher order streams
tributary
what is stream order
term defining the amount of branching in a stream
how many tributaries does first order streams have
0
When do second order stream form
when do first order stream come together
What can we also call a first order stream
a head water
The water shed order is defined by
order of streams in the water shed
Define discharge
the volume of water flowing through a river at a specific point per unit time
as tributaries join to form higher order streams, the discharge generally _______
increases
width and depth of streams __________ downstream, due to greater water volume as tributaries join the stream
increase
What is a thalweg
the part of the stream with the highest flow velocity
streams increases speed on the outside of a curve. if the stream is a straight the, the velocity is greatest in the middle
Why do straight channels occur
the stream is forced to be straight by the local geology
why do meandering channels occur
the river is free to roam across an unconfined valley floor
Why does a meander cutoff and oxbow lake occur
produced when a meander is cut off from the main channel.
The neck is where the two parts of the stream meet
why do braided (anastomosing) channels occur
stream contains more sediment than it can transport
What are the three stages of flooding
normal discharge, bank-full, flood stage
what is alluvium
sediments deposited by a flood
what are levees
ledges or barriers to prevent a flood from a river overflowing. Can be natural or anthropogenic
High velocity of a flood means there will be: ________ flow, ______ suspended load, and _____ bed load
turbulent
high
high
lower velocity of a flood means there will be: _____ suspended load, and deposition of ______
high
silt/clay
what is base level
level below which a stream can no longer erode the land
the level of the ocean or lake
What is a graded stream
No erosion or deposition occurs because the stream has a dynamic equilibrium between the sediment supply(deposition) and transport(erosion)
For hydroelectric dams, what is the problem with downstream dams and upstream dams
Downstream dam: river is deprived of sediment, erodes into its bed
upstream of the dam: base level is higher than previously, stream channel accumulates sediments
Where is the water table located
boundary between saturated and unsaturated zones in an aquifer
What is a aquifer
unit of rock or unconsolidated sediment through which groundwater can flow
What are the three types of groundwater wells
water-level monitoring well, production well, and injection well
Water flows ______ through a good aquifer for groundwater production
quickly
residence time through an aquifer depends on
porosity
Which is more porous: uncemented sandstone or cemented
uncemented sandstone
is well-sorted sandstone or poorly sorted sandstone more porous
well-sorted sandstone
Order these from most to least porous: unconsolidated sediment, non-fractured igneous or metamorphic rocks, and sedimentary rocks
unconsolidated sediments, sedimentary, non-fractured igneous and metamorphic rocks
What are the 3 principle types of pores
intergranular
fracture
vuggy
describe a vuggy texture
caused by dissolution of rock. Holes form. Typically in carbonate rocks
Groundwater discharges from spring in
wet season
Groundwater discharges through riverbeds in
wet and dry season
groundwater can discharge water to a ________ and _______ can recharge groundwater
wetland
wetland
What is the hydraulic head
the level groundwater rises to in a groundwater well.
Elevation of the water level is measured relative to sea level(datum)
groundwater flows along flow paths from area of _________ to areas of __________
recharge
discharge
flow rate is proportional to hydraulic ________ and hydraulic ____________
gradient
conductivity
What can affect the balance between recharge and discharge
velocity of flow
groundwater wells can _______ the pattern of groundwater flow
change
rate of groundwater extraction is limited by rate of _________
recharge
pumping water from an unconfined aquifer can generate a
cone of depression
aquifer subsidence happens when
extraction can decrease water pressure in pore spaces and aquifers compress causing depressions
contaminants to groundwater include
toxic chemicals, organic chemicals and microorganisms
What toxic element that contaminates groundwater is talked a lot about the slides
arsenic
can arsenic contamination be naturally occurring and anthropogenic
yes
Naturally-occurring: weathering of minerals that contain
arsenic
Anthropogenic: contamination by mining, manufacturing,
agriculture
where was there a big problems of arsenic in the groundwater
Bangladesh
eroded mountains containing arsenic infiltrated the aquifers, ground water and streams
what is an aquitard
a confining layer that has low permeability and does not allow easy water flow. Basically the impermeable layer
why does the artesian well flow without pumping
the top of the neck is below the water table
groundwater flows when there is a _______ in hydraulic head. from areas of _____ hydraulic head to areas of ______ hydraulic head
gradient
higher
lower
