The Drainage Basin Flashcards
(22 cards)
Precipitation (INPUT)
Water in any form that falls from the atmosphere to the surface of the earth.
A drainage basin
An area drained by a river. It is an open system.
Interception store
Process by which raindrops are prevented from directly reaching the soil surface (leaves, stems, branches).
Vegetation store
Water taken up by vegetation.
Surface store
Total volume of water held on the earths surface in lakes, ponds and puddles.
Soil moisture store
Moisture trapped in the soil brought there by infiltration.
Groundwater store.
The storage of water underground in permeable rock strata.
Channel store
Water held in a river or stream channel.
Stemflow (TRANSFER)
Water that runs down steam and branches to reach the ground, after interception.
Overland flow (TRANSFER)
Water flows over surface of ground, as the soil is fully saturated or there is impermeable rock underneath or frozen ground.
Infiltration (TRANSFER)
The movement of water from the ground surface into the soil.
Throughflow (TRANSFER)
Water moves laterally through soil parallel to the surface above the water table.
Percolation (TRANSFER)
The movement if water from soil down into the rocks beneath.
Groundwater flow (TRANSFER)
Water has percolated deeper into the rock and flows with in the saturated zone.
Transpiration (OUTPUt)
Evaporation of water from plant leaf surfaces.
Evaporation (OUTPUT)
The process by which liquid water is transformed into water vapour, which is a gas. A large amount of energy is required for this to occur, thus energy is usually provided by heat from the sun.
Evapo-transpiration (OUTPUT)
Loss of water from a drainage basin into the atmosphere from the surface of leaves.
Source
The start of the river.
Watershed
The edge of highland surrounding a drainage basin, it marks the boundary between two drainage basins.
Tributary
Smaller side of the river often is leading to a longer river.
Confluence
The meeting point of two rivers.
Mouth
Where freshwater meets salt water.
