Stream and Flooding Processes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to stream and flooding processes, hurricane impacts, and the water cycle.

Flooding

An overflow of water onto normally dry land.

Flash Flood

A flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours.

Hurricane Melissa

A Category 5 hurricane that made landfall in Jamaica at 185 mph sustained winds and 892 mb pressure.

Latent Heat

The heat absorbed or released during a phase change of water.

Watershed

The entire area upstream from which surface water will flow to a common point.

Discharge

The total volume of water flowing per unit of time.

Meandering Stream

A stream that bends and twists, often forming oxbow lakes.

Braided Stream

A type of stream that forms multiple channels due to excessive sediment load.

Sediment Transport

The movement of solid particles, typically due to the flow of water.

Base Level

The lowest point to which a stream can erode its channel.

Erosion

The process by which soil and rock are removed from one location and transported to another.

Deposition

The process by which sediments settle and accumulate in a new location.

Channel Pattern

The varying shapes and forms that streams take based on sediment transport and deposition.

Alluvial Fan

A fan-shaped deposit formed by sediment that accumulates at a river's mouth.

Delta

A landform at the mouth of a river formed from the deposition of sediment.

Flash Flooding Hazard

Flash floods can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive rainfall.

Flood Intensity

Measured by discharge of water and the rate of rise of water.

Rate of Runoff

The amount of water flowing in a stream over a given time period.

Stream Order

A classification of streams based on the number of tributaries.

Lag Time

The delay between rainfall and peak discharge in a stream.

Hydrosphere

The realm of water in all its forms within the Earth system.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through the environment via evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Evapotranspiration

The combined process of evaporation and transpiration of water from the land to the atmosphere.

Precipitation

Any form of water - liquid or solid - that falls from the atmosphere.

Saturation

The condition when soil is completely filled with water.

Impermeable Soil

Soil that does not allow water to pass through easily.

Permeable Soil

Soil that allows water to pass through relatively easily.

Streamflow

The flow of water in a natural or artificial waterway.

Gradient

The slope or steepness of a stream or river.

Sediment Load

The total amount of sediment that a stream can carry.

Gaining Stream

A stream that is gaining water from the groundwater system.

Losing Stream

A stream that loses water to the groundwater system.

Tributary

A smaller stream that feeds into a larger stream or river.

Turbulence

Rough, chaotic flow of water that enhances sediment mixing and transport.

Oxbow Lake

A crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander of a river is cut off.

Anthropogenic Changes

Alterations to the environment resulting from human activity.

Flood Recurrence Interval

The statistical average number of years between floods of a certain size.

Paleoflood Analysis

Utilizing historical flood data to estimate future flood probabilities.

Freshwater

Water with low concentrations of dissolved salts, mainly found in rivers, lakes, and glaciers.

Ocean Water

Water from the Earth's oceans, constituting about 97.2% of the hydrosphere.

Floodplain

The flat area around a stream or river that may be inundated during floods.

Stream Velocity

The speed at which water flows through a stream.

Sediment Size

The size of particles transported by a stream, which can affect transport and deposition.

Channel Migration

The natural movement of a stream channel over time due to erosion and sediment deposition.

Rate of Rise

The speed at which the water level in a stream increases during flooding.

Confluence

The point where two streams meet and combine their flow.

Hydraulic Conductivity

The ability of a soil or rock to transmit water when saturated.

Atmospheric Water Vapor

Water in its gaseous state present in the atmosphere.