The Freshwater System

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Precipitation

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149 Terms

1

Precipitation

The transfer of moisture (rain, snow, etc) to the earth's surface from the atmosphere.

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2

Interception

The capture of raindrops by plant cover, which prevents direct contact with the soil.

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3

Runoff

Precipitation that does not soak into the ground but flows over it into surface waters.

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4

Groundwater

Water held underground in soil or porous rock, often feeding springs and wells.

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5

Evapotranspiration (EVT)

The loss of water from vegetation and water surfaces to the atmosphere.

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6

Potential evapotranspiration (pEVT)

The rate of water loss from an area if there were no shortages of water.

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7

Maximum sustainable yields (MSY)

The maximum level of extraction of water that can be maintained indefinitely for a region.

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8

Hydrological Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

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9

Closed System

In a closed system, there is no exchange of matter with the surroundings, only energy.

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10

Open System

In an open system, both matter and energy can be exchanged with the surroundings.

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11

Precipitation

The initial stage where water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and falls back to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

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12

Interception

Before reaching the ground, precipitation encounters various surfaces like leaves, branches, and vegetation.

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13

Infiltration

Water that doesn't evaporate penetrates the ground surface, entering the soil zone.

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14

Runoff

Water that doesn't infiltrate either evaporates or flows over the land surface as runoff.

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15

Evapotranspiration

The combined process involves the evaporation of water directly from soil and water bodies and the transpiration of water vapor from plants through their leaves.

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16

Groundwater Recharge

A portion of infiltrated water percolates deeper into the soil, eventually reaching the saturated zone below, replenishing groundwater aquifers.

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17

Water Balance

The relationship between the inputs and outputs of a drainage basin.

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18

Soil moisture excess

When soil moisture and groundwater is replenished, leading to saturation and increased surface runoff.

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19

Drainage basin

The area drained by a river and its tributaries.

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20

Discharge

The volume of water passing a given point over a set time.

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21

Peak rainfall

The highest rainfall (usually measured in mm) during a storm.

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22

Erosion

The wearing away of the land as the water flows past the bed and banks of a river.

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23

Transport

The movement of material by a river through solution, suspension, saltation, or traction.

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24

Deposition

The dropping of material carried by the river when there is no longer sufficient energy to transport it.

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25

Wetted Perimeter

The total length of the bed and the banks in contact with the river.

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26

Cross-sectional area

The width of the river multiplied by the depth of the river.

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27

Average Depth

The depth of a river is measured by taking an average reading across its width.

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28

Velocity

The speed at which water in a river is flowing, measured in meters per second (m/s).

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29

Channel Roughness

The roughness of a river's channel, which is influenced by the presence of angular boulders and affects the amount of friction and resistance to flow.

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30

Regimes

The variations in a river's flow, which can have a seasonal pattern of discharge due to factors such as climate, geology, and human interaction.

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31

Simple Regimes

River flow patterns characterized by high water levels followed by lower levels, often resulting from glacier melt, snowmelt, or seasonal rainfalls.

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Complex Regimes

River flow patterns characterized by multiple periods of high and/or low water levels, more common in large rivers with varied relief and large tributaries.

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33

Laminar Flow

Smooth flow of water in a straight channel, most common in the lower parts of a river.

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34

Turbulent Flow

Flow characterized by variations in the shape of the river's channel, such as pools, meanders, and rapids, resulting in turbulence and disturbance of sediment.

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35

Bradshaw Model

A framework developed by Dr. Anthony D. Bradshaw to understand the relationships between factors influencing the shape and form of river channels.

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36

Discharge

The volume of water flowing through a river channel at a given time, a primary driver of channel morphology.

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37

Sediment Supply

The amount and size of sediment entering the river channel, influencing channel morphology and leading to braided or meandering channels.

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38

Channel Slope

The steepness of the channel bed, affecting flow velocity and depth.

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39

Bank Material

The strength and cohesion of the material forming the riverbanks, influencing erosion, channel slope, and channel width.

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40

Vegetation

The type and extent of vegetation along the banks and within the channel, stabilizing banks, reducing erosion, and influencing sediment transport.

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41

Hydrographs

Graphs that show the variation in river discharge over time, influenced by the characteristics of the drainage basin and precipitation.

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42

Impermeable Rock

Rock that does not allow water to infiltrate, resulting in more surface runoff and increased volume and speed of the river.

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43

Permeable Rock

Rock that allows water to infiltrate, reducing surface runoff and volume in the river.

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44

Base Flow

The normal day-to-day discharge of a river.

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45

Rising Limb

The rapid increase in discharge resulting from rainfall.

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46

Peak Flow

The maximum capacity of the river to hold water.

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47

Recession Limb

The decrease in discharge and fall in river levels after the peak flow.

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48

Basin Lag Time

The time difference between the peak of a rain event and the peak flow in the river.

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49

Flash Floods

Sudden and intense floods caused by heavy rainfall, often resulting in short lag times and high discharge.

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50

Land Use

The way land is utilized, including impermeable surfaces like concrete and tarmac, which can increase surface runoff and shorten lag times.

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51

Deforestation

The removal of vegetation, reducing infiltration and interception, increasing surface runoff and speed of water.

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52

River Management

The presence of dams, which can control river flow and affect discharge and lag times.

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53

Advantages of Flooding

Benefits of floods, including replenishing groundwater reserves, providing nutrient-rich sediment for agriculture, and supporting fish populations.

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54

Disadvantages of Flooding

Negative impacts of floods, such as destruction of agricultural land, damage to infrastructure, and displacement of populations.

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55

Dams

Barriers constructed to hold back water and create reservoirs for various purposes, such as flood control, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation.

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56

Reservoir

A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.

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57

Hydrological Changes

Changes to the water cycle resulting from the construction of dams and reservoirs, including increased evaporation, changes in river discharge, sedimentation, and water quality.

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58

Aswan Dam

A dam complex on the River Nile in Egypt, providing flood control, irrigation, hydroelectric power, and improved navigation.

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59

Aswan High Dam

A dam built in Egypt that supports the local fishing industry and provides jobs and new skills to local workers. It has an estimated value of $500m to the Egyptian economy each year.

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60

Water losses

The dam provides less than half the expected amount of water, leading to water shortages.

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61

Salinization

Crop yields have been reduced on up to ⅓ of the irrigated area due to salinization caused by the dam.

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62

Groundwater changes

Seepage from the dam leads to increased groundwater levels and may cause secondary salinization.

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63

Displacement of population

Up to 100,000 Nubian people have been removed from their ancestral homes due to the dam.

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64

Seismic stress

The dam is believed to have caused an earthquake in November 1981. As water levels decrease, seismic activity also decreases.

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65

Channel erosion

Clear water erosion beneath the channel has lowered the channel by 25mm over 18 years.

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66

Increased sedimentation

Increased sedimentation may put stress on the dam, reduce lake depth, storage levels, and prevent nutrients from reaching farmland downstream.

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67

Loss of nutrients

$100m worth of artificial fertilizers are used annually to replace nutrients trapped behind the dam.

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68

Decreased fish catches

Sardine yields are down 90% and 3000 jobs in Egyptian fisheries have been lost due to the dam.

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69

Spread of diseases

Stagnant water caused by the dam has led to the spread of diseases.

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70

Erosion

The wearing away of the bed, banks, and load of a river. Types of erosion include attrition, hydraulic action, corrosion, and corrasion.

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71

Transportation

The process of a river carrying eroded material. Types of transportation include traction, saltation, suspension, solution, and flotation.

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72

Deposition

The process of a river putting down its load due to a decrease in velocity and energy. It leads to the formation of landforms such as floodplains, levees, and deltas.

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73

Competence

The maximum diameter of a piece of load that a river can transport.

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74

Capacity

The maximum amount of load that a river can transport.

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75

Critical Erosion Velocity

The minimum velocity required for a river to start eroding and transporting material.

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76

Settling Velocity

The velocity at which a river needs to fall below to start depositing its load.

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77

Hjulstrom Curve

A graph showing the relationship between river velocity and particle size, determining whether a river will erode, transport, or deposit sediment.

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78

Upper Course

The section of a river nearest to its source, characterized by vertical erosion and landforms such as waterfalls, gorges, and v-shaped valleys.

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79

Middle Course

The section of a river between the upper and lower courses, characterized by horizontal erosion and landforms such as alluvial fans and meanders.

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80

Lower Course

The section of a river closest to its mouth, characterized by flatter land, smaller and smoother load, and landforms such as meanders, oxbow lakes, braided rivers, levees, and deltas.

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81

Meander

A curvy, bendy path that a river flows in, formed by erosion and deposition on the outer and inner banks.

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82

Oxbow Lake

A meander that has become cut off from the main river channel.

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83

Braided River

A river with multiple smaller channels separated by temporary islands called eyots, formed by variable flow and high quantities of load.

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84

Delta

A landform formed at the mouth of a river where it meets a body of water, characterized by deposition of sediment.

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85

Levees

Embankments found on the sides of a river channel, built naturally or by humans to reduce flood risk.

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86

Floodplain

The floor of the valley that gets flooded when a river exceeds its bankfull discharge.

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87

Bluff Line

The outer limits of the floodplain, marking the edge of the valley floor.

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88

Strand Line

A line of load deposited at the limit of a flood.

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89

Alluvial Deposits (Alluvium)

Load deposited by a river during a flood, composed of different-sized particles.

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90

Floodplain Management

Techniques used to manage and mitigate the impacts of flooding, such as river walls, river training, channelization, embankments, raised buildings, controlled flooding, flood-proofing houses, and human modifications to floodplains.

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91

Channel Enlargement

Making the width and depth of a river wider and deeper to increase its cross-sectional area and reduce flood risk.

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92

Channel Straightening

Removing meanders from a river to make it straighter.

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93

Meanders

Bends or curves in a river's course that can be removed to increase water velocity and reduce the risk of flooding.

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94

Flood Relief Channels

Artificial channels built to divert excess water from a river during floods, reducing flood risk.

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95

Artificial Stores

Reservoirs or lakes created to store excess water during floods, reducing pressure on the main river channel.

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96

Flood Embankments (levees)

Raised banks along a river that increase its depth and reduce the risk of flooding.

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97

Controlled Flooding

Allowing low-value land to flood in order to protect higher-value areas from flooding.

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98

Afforestation / Reforestation

Planting trees in a drainage basin to increase interception, transpiration, and root uptake of water.

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99

Flood Proofing

Measures taken to make properties less vulnerable to flooding or flood damage.

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100

Insurance

Financial protection against flood damage and recovery costs.

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