Keywords Flashcards
Precipitation
Moisture in any form
Interception
Temporary storage, as water is captured by plants, buildings and hard surfaces before reaching the soil
Vegetation Storage
Any moisture taken up by vegetation and held within plants
Surface Storage
Any surface water in lakes, ponds, puddles
Soil Moisture
Water held within the soil
Groundwater storage
Water held within permeable rocks
Channel Storage
Water held in rivers and streams
Infiltration
Water entering the topsoil. Most common during slow or steady rainfall
Throughflow
Water seeping laterally through soil below the surface, but above the water table
Percolation
The downward seepage of water through rocks under gravity
Stem Flow
Water flowing down plant stems or drainpipes
Base flow
Also known as groundwater flow. Slow moving water that seeps into river channel
Channel flow
Volume of water flowing within a river channel
Surface runoff
Flow over the surface during an intense storm or when the ground is frozen, impermeable or saturated
Evaporation
The conversion of water to vapour
Transpiration
Water taken up by plants and transpired into the leaf surface
Evapotranspiration
The combined effect of evaporation and transpiration
River discharge
The volume of water passing a certain point in the channel over a certain amount of time
Hydrological system
Hydrologic System is the entire cycle of water movement. A closed system
Drainage basin
It is a sub system within the hydrological system. It is an area drained by a river and it’s tributaries
Cryosphere
the frozen water part of the Earth system.
Fossil Water
Water that has remained in an aquifer for a long timespan, usually thousands or millions of years. Inaccessible.
Watershed
Outline around drainage basin
Water Table
level below the surface of the ground where water can be found.
Aquifer
Area of rock underneath the surface of the earth which absorbs and holds water.
Flux
Movement of water
Water Surplus
Precipitation is greater than Evapotranspiration
Soil moisture utilisation
Soil moisture starts to be used up by plants
Soil moisture deficiency/deficit
Evapotranspiration is greater than precipitation and any previously available moisture has been used.
Soil moisture recharge
Recharge occurs when water is replaced after a dried period
Field capacity
Maximum amount of water soil can hold
Drought
Shortfall or deficiency of water if an extended period of time.
What is meteorological drought?
Weather!
Shortfalls in precipitation which increases the duration of dry period.
Lack of rainfall is joined by high temp, high winds, strong sun, and low humidity. This increases evaporation.
What is hydrological drought?
Water systems
Reduced stream flow and groundwater levels because of reduced inputs of precipitation and high rates of evaporation.
What is agricultural drought
Farming
Accelerated farming practices such as overgrazing.
Rainfall deficiency leads to deficiency in soil moisture and soil availability which effects plant growth. This results in poor crop yields.
What is famine drought
Lack of food
Widespread failure of agricultural system, food shortages develop into famine.
Natural variability in the climate can cause a temporary decline in supply and stores are not replenished.
