Key Words

Question 1

Lag time

Answer 1

Time taken from peak rainfall to Peak discharge

Question 2

Rising limb

Answer 2

An increase in discharge (how a river quickly responds to a storm)

Question 3

Receding/Falling limb

Answer 3

How long it takes a river to get back to its normal level

Question 4

Base follow

Answer 4

The amount of water that would be in the river without the addition of stormwater

Question 5

Bankfull discharge

Answer 5

Maximum discharge the river can carry without flooding

Question 6

Peak discharge

Answer 6

The highest flow in the channel for that event

Question 7

Storm flow

Answer 7

A discharge resulting from the storm precipitation involving overland flow, through flow and groundwater flow

Question 8

Drainage basin

Answer 8

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

Question 9

Evapotranspiration

Answer 9

The total output of water from the drainage basin directly back to the atmosphere

Question 10

Groundwater flow

Answer 10

The slow movement of water through underlying rock

Question 11

Infiltration

Answer 11

Downward movement of water from surface to soil

Question 12

Overland flow

Answer 12

The tendency of water to flow horizontally across land

Question 13

Perlocation

Answer 13

Downward movement of water within the rock under soil undersurface

Question 14

Run off

Answer 14

All of the water that enters a river channel and eventually flows out of the drainage basin

Question 15

Saturated

Answer 15

Any water store thats reached its maximum capacity

Question 16

Stem flow

Answer 16

Precipitation that runs down the outside of tree trunks

Question 17

Throughfall

Answer 17

Precipitation that reaches the ground by going through gaps in the vegetation canopy and drips from leaves and twigs

Question 18

Throughflow

Answer 18

Movement of water down the slopes through soil layer under the influence of gravity

Question 19

Transpiration

Answer 19

Loss of water from vegetation through pores (stomata) on leaves

Question 20

Water balance

Answer 20

Balance between inputs and outputs in a drainage basin