Key words Notes Questions
Hydrological and fluvial geomorphology
Global hydrological
system
Drainage basin The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
watershed A ridge of higher ground that splits one drainage basin
from another
inputs Ways in which water enters the system
output Ways in which water leaves the system
Stores Ways In which water is held in the system
Transfers Ways in which is moved through and within the
systems
Interception When precipitation lands on vegetation or other
surfaces before it reaches the soil
Vegetation storage Water that has been taken up by plants
Surface storage Water in puddles, pond, lakes
Ground water storage Water stored in the ground, either in the soil or in rocks
Channel storage Water held in a river, stream or channel
Surface runoff Water flowing over the land
Through fall Water dripping from one leaf to another
stemflow Water running down a plant stem or tree trunk
Through flow Water moving slowly downhill though the soil
infiltration Water soaking into the soil
Percolation Water seeping down through soil into the water table
Ground water flow Water flowing slowly below the water table through
permeable rock
baseflow Ground water flow that feeds into rivers through river
banks and river beds
interflow Water flowing downhill through permeable rock above
the water table
Channel flow Water flowing in the river or stream itself
Evaporating The physical process by which moisture is directly lost
to the atmosphere from various water surfaces and the
soil due to the effect of air movement or the suns heat.
transpiration A biological process by which water is lost from a plant
through minute pores in its leaves
evapotranspiration Process of evaporation and transpiration together
Discharge The volume of water passing a measuring point in a
river in a given time
Field capacity The amount of soil moisture or water content held in
Hydrological and fluvial geomorphology
Global hydrological
system
Drainage basin The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
watershed A ridge of higher ground that splits one drainage basin
from another
inputs Ways in which water enters the system
output Ways in which water leaves the system
Stores Ways In which water is held in the system
Transfers Ways in which is moved through and within the
systems
Interception When precipitation lands on vegetation or other
surfaces before it reaches the soil
Vegetation storage Water that has been taken up by plants
Surface storage Water in puddles, pond, lakes
Ground water storage Water stored in the ground, either in the soil or in rocks
Channel storage Water held in a river, stream or channel
Surface runoff Water flowing over the land
Through fall Water dripping from one leaf to another
stemflow Water running down a plant stem or tree trunk
Through flow Water moving slowly downhill though the soil
infiltration Water soaking into the soil
Percolation Water seeping down through soil into the water table
Ground water flow Water flowing slowly below the water table through
permeable rock
baseflow Ground water flow that feeds into rivers through river
banks and river beds
interflow Water flowing downhill through permeable rock above
the water table
Channel flow Water flowing in the river or stream itself
Evaporating The physical process by which moisture is directly lost
to the atmosphere from various water surfaces and the
soil due to the effect of air movement or the suns heat.
transpiration A biological process by which water is lost from a plant
through minute pores in its leaves
evapotranspiration Process of evaporation and transpiration together
Discharge The volume of water passing a measuring point in a
river in a given time
Field capacity The amount of soil moisture or water content held in
