Water Resources and Hydrology Notes

Bifurcation ratio

Ratio of streams of any given order to the number of streams in the next lower order.

Stream Slope

Ratio between the difference in elevation and the stream length.

Drainage Texture Parameters

Describes runoff and infiltration behaviors of a watershed.

Drainage density

Length of stream per unit area; Measures efficiency of the stream in collecting and discharging water

Length of Overland Flow (FL)

Distance over which runoff will flow before concentrating into permanent channels.

Hydrology

Science dealing with the occurrence of water on earth.

Precipitation

Descending of condensed water vapor in the form of precipitate (rain, snow, etc.).

Interception

Precipitation caught and held by vegetation.

Infiltration

Passage of water through the soil surface into the soil horizon.

Evaporation

Change in state of liquid water into vapor.

Transpiration

Transfer of water in vapor form through plant stomates.

Evapotranspiration (ET)

Sum of evaporation and transpiration.

Water Quality

State of the biological, chemical, physical properties of water.