water budgets

what is the water budget?

balance between inputs and outputs - influenced by climate

* balance determines the amount of moisture in the soils

what does the water budget equation do?

allows a calculation of water supply during a year and identifies times where there may not be enough to meet natural and human needs

what is the equation for water budget?

P = Q + E ± S

p - precipitation

Q - channel discharge

e - evapotranspiration

s - change in storage

what does the equation show?

shows annual balances between precipitation inputs and evapotranspiration outputs

what is a growing concern about the water budgets?

%%climate change is%% altering the water budgets around the world - %%different annual precipitation%% patterns, %%higher evapotrans%% - more %%droughts and floods%%

describe the importance of soil moisture

* important for successful %%plant growth%%
* in an %%ecosystem%% - important so that plants support other animals in the food chain
* %%farmers%% - important to have enough soil moisture to produce high crop yields (food and profit)
* very important that moisture is high during %%spring and summer%%