Water budgets and river regimes - WATER CYCLE

Question 1

What is a Water budget

Answer 1

It is the annual balance between precipitation, evaporation and runoff. It is the annual balance between input and outputs.

Question 2

What is the equation for the water budget?

Answer 2

P= E+ R +/- S
P-precipitation
E - evapotranspiration
R- runoff
S- chnage in storages over a period o time, usually one year

Question 3

Definition of surplus and deficit

Answer 3

Surplus - too much
Deficit - not enough

Question 4

What is the definition of river regime?

Answer 4

It indicates the annual variation of discharge of a river and result from the impact of climate, geology and soils. Regimes are described as simple or complex

Question 5

Simple regimes

Answer 5

River experiences a period of seasonally high discharge, followed by low discharge. Inputs depend on glacial meltwater, snowmelt and seasonal storms Ex- River Yukon

Question 6

Complex regimes

Answer 6

Large rivers crops several different relief and climatic zones and therefore experience the effects of different seasonal climatic events. Human factors can also contribute to their complexity such as damming rivers for energy or irrigation.Ex river Nile, Amazon and the Murray Darling in Australia.