Freshwater: Streams, Lakes, Wetlands, and Groundwater

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on freshwater resources, their distribution, and dynamics in Earth's hydrology.

Hydrologic cycle

The movement of water through the four spheres that also moves energy.

Runoff

The movement of water, usually from precipitation, that flows across the ground and into bodies of water.

Aquifers

Bodies of porous Earth material that can provide useful amounts of water.

Discharge

The volume of water flowing per unit time in a stream or river.

Eutrophic

A type of lake that is high in nutrient supply, often characterized by green, murky water and high productivity.

Oligotrophic

A type of lake that is poorly nourished, characterized by clear blue water and low productivity.

Permability

The ability for Earth materials to transmit fluids, such as water.

Evapotranspiration

The process of water transfer from land to the atmosphere via evaporation and transpiration from plants.

Base level

The lowest point to which a stream can erode, with sea level being the ultimate base level.

Sinuosity

The measure of how much a stream meanders, indicating the curvature of the stream's path.

Flood plain

Low-lying land adjacent to a stream channel that is subject to flooding.

Karst topography

A landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks, resulting in features such as sinkholes and caverns.

Spring

A natural occurrence where the water table intersects the land surface, causing groundwater to flow to the surface.

Evaporation

The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas, typically due to heat.

Rivers

Large streams that are typically fed by tributaries and contribute to the hydrologic cycle.

Groundwater recharge

The process where water seeps into the saturated zone of an aquifer.