Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology Flashcards
Physical Geography
What is a drainage basin system?
An area of land around a river that is drained by the river and its tributaries
Evapotranspiration:
Evaporation
Transpiration
When Liquid changes in to water vapour
When water vapour leaves the plant through the stomata
Define- River Discharge
Water that flows in to the sea
Q+AV
Define - Interception
Precipitation is caught and stored by vegetation before it reaches the ground.
Surface Water
When the infiltration capacity is exceeded water builds on the surface
Ground Water Recharge
Refilling of the rock pores as water moves downwards
Soil Moisture and Clay
Clay becomes impermeable when in contact with water making it swell and become unstable. Cells are hydroscopic
Hortonian Flow
Shallow, laminar , fast moving water that causes severe soil erosion when precipitation exceeds the infiltration capacity and depression soil capacity
Percolation
Slow movement of water downwards through the soil into bedrock under gravity
Baseflow
Where groundwater seeps into the river’s bed and contributes to discharge
Underground Water :
Aquifiers
Permeable rocks that contain significant quantities of water (sandstone)
Discharge Relationships:
Lag Time
time between max rainfall and max discharge
Discharge Relationships:
Receding Limb
Less steep than rising , shows discharge after decline after peak discharge
Discharge Relationships:
Storm flow
Stream discharge after rainstorm
Drainage Basin Characteristics
A natural system with in puts, flows and scores of water and sediment
Every drainage basin is unique on account of climate, geology, vegetatio
