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Stream
A body of flowing water.
Channel
The physical confine of a stream.
Drainage Basin
An area of land where precipitation collects and drains off into a common outlet.
Mouth
The point where a stream meets a larger body of water.
Headwaters
The source or beginning of a stream.
Bank
The sides of a stream.
Streambed
The bottom of a stream.
Levees
Natural or artificial embankments along the sides of a river.
Floodplains
Flat areas adjacent to a stream that are prone to flooding.
Flood
An overflow of water onto land that is normally dry.
Recurrence Interval
The average time between events of a certain size or larger.
Sheetwash
Thin layers of water that flow over the ground surface.
Runoff
Water that flows over the ground surface to streams.
Downcutting
The process of erosion that deepens a stream channel.
Headward Erosion
The process where a stream erodes backward into its source.
Tributaries
Smaller streams that flow into a larger stream.
Drainage Network
A system of interconnected streams and rivers.
Drainage Divide
A ridge that separates one drainage basin from another.
Permanent Streams
Streams that flow year-round.
Ephemeral Streams
Streams that only flow during certain times of the year.
Water Table
The upper surface of the saturated zone of groundwater.
Unsaturated Zone
The area above the water table where soil and rock are not fully saturated with water.
Saturated Zone
The area below the water table where all the pores are filled with water.
Discharge
The volume of water flowing through a stream over a given time.
Base Level
The lowest point to which a stream can erode.
Stream Gradient
The slope of a stream channel.
Braided Stream
A stream consisting of multiple interweaving channels.
Meandering Stream
A stream that follows a winding path.
Point Bar
A deposit of sediment on the inside bend of a meander.
Cut Bank
The eroded bank on the outside of a meander.
Meander
A curve or bend in a stream.
Oxbow Lake
A crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from a stream.
Porosity
The measure of void spaces in a material.
Permeability
The ability of a material to transmit fluids.
Aquifers
Geological formations that can store and transmit water.
Aquitards
Geological formations that restrict water flow.
Perched Water Table
A localized zone of saturation above the regional water table.
Capillary Fringe
The zone above the water table where water is held by capillary forces.
Hydraulic Head
The potential energy available to drive the flow of groundwater.
Hydraulic Gradient
The change in hydraulic head per unit distance.
Darcy's Law
A formula that describes the flow of fluid through a porous medium.
Recharge
The process by which groundwater is replenished.
Discharge (Groundwater)
The process by which groundwater is removed from an aquifer.
Types of Well
Different constructions of wells used to extract groundwater.
Artesian Well
A well that taps into a confined aquifer under pressure.
Potentiometric Surface
An imaginary surface representing the level to which water would rise in a well.
Cone of Depression
A downward slope in the water table around a well caused by pumping.
Climate Change Evidence
Data and observations that indicate changes in climate patterns.
Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
A period of significant global warming studied for insights into climate change.
Consequences of Climate Change
Potential impacts on ecosystems, weather patterns, and sea levels due to climate change.
CO2 Concentration Increase
The rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere due to human activities.
Earth's Warming Evidence
Indicators that demonstrate the increase in Earth's average temperature.
Fossil Fuels and Climate
The relationship between the burning of fossil fuels and climate change.
Natural Climate Regulation
Factors that naturally influence and stabilize the Earth's climate.
Recent CO2 Increase Rate
The current rate of carbon dioxide increase compared to historical natural variations.
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