water cycle - run off variation Flashcards
who is river flow studied?
by measuring the discharge of a river
what is discharge?
the volume of water passing a certain point in a given time (metres per second in cumecs)
how is discharge calculated?
multiplying the cross sectional area of the river by its velocity at the measuring point
why is it important to understand discharge?
in the assessment of management of water resources, design of water structures, flood warnings and alleviation schemes
what can discharge help develop?
hydroelectric power
how many measuring stations do UK have?
1,500
what can river regime be defined as?
the variability in its discharge throughout the course of a year in response to temp, evapotranspiration, precipitation and drainage and basin characteristics
why do UK rivers have seasonality in their discharge?
due to changes in temperatures throughout the year
when does Uk have lowest discharge?
in summer months due to high evapotranpiration
