FANR 3060: Hydrologic Glossary Study Guide
62 Cards in this Set
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
|
100-year floodplain
|
Area inundated during a 100-year flood
|
|
100-year flood
|
A flood with a 1% annual probability
|
|
Abandoned oxbows
|
Former river meanders that have been cut-off. River no longer flows through them
|
|
Abandoned terraces
|
Areas of paleo-floodplain no longer part of active floodplain
|
|
Absolute humidity
|
Mass of water vapor per unit volume of air
|
|
Active floodplain
|
Valley areas inundated by plausible stormflows
|
|
Actual evapostranspiration
|
Transfer of moisture from the earth to the atmosphere by evaporation of water and transpiration from plants
|
|
Adiabatic lapse rate
|
Theoretical change in atmosphere temperature as a function of elevation occurring with no net loss or gain of energy
|
|
Aggradation
|
Deposition of sediment or detritus on the soil surface or on a streambed
|
|
Annual
|
Occurring on a yearly basis
|
|
Aquiclude
|
Geologic formation that does not store or transmit appreciable quantities of water
|
|
Aquifer
|
Geologic formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable materials to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs
|
|
Artesian aquifer
|
A confined aquifer in which the potentiometric surface is above the land surface
|
|
Aquitard
|
A geologic unit that retards but does not prevent the flow of water to or from an adjacent aquifer. It does not readily yield water to wells, but may serve as a storage unit for ground water.
|
|
Atmosphere
|
The gaseous envelope surrounding the earth or a heavenly body. On the earth, the air mass above the water table.
|
|
Back channel swamp
|
Low area in floodplain near or below water table
|
|
Backwater
|
Water that accumulates in low-energy areas of a flood plain or flood way
|
|
Bank erosion or scour
|
The loss of stream banks by the force of water. Usually greatest on outside bends, and near obstructions
|
|
Baseflow
|
That part of the stream discharge that is not attributable to direct runoff from precipitation or melting snow. It is usually sustained by ground-water discharge.
|
|
Basin
|
A large or small depression on the surface of the land or ocean floor. It can also be used to mean a watershed.
|
|
Bedload sediment
|
The mineral matter transported by water along the bed of a stream.
|
|
Blackwater
|
Water containing large amounts of organic acids that cause the water to appear black.
|
|
Boulder
|
Particles larger than 264 mm (bigger than a basketball)
|
|
Capillary rise
|
The height above a water surface to which water will rise due to capillary forces.
|
|
Channel order
|
A ranking of channels from smallest (zero) largest. A zero-order channel is a hollow with no clear channel, a first-order channel is a headwater channel with no tributaries, a second-order channel is form when two first-order channels join, etc.
|
|
Channel substrate
|
Material on the bed of a channel
|
|
Closed system
|
A system within which no external inputs or outputs are present
|
|
Cloud
|
A visible collection of particles of water or ice suspended in air, usually at an elevation above the earth's surface.
|
|
Coagulant
|
To become or cause to become thickened into a compact mass.
|
|
Cobble
|
Particles greater than 64 mm and less than 264 mm (bigger than a softball, smaller than a basketball).
|
|
Condensation
|
To change from a vapor into a liquid or a solid with a concomitant release of energy.
|
|
Cone of depression
|
A lowering of the potentiometric surface near a well due to the extraction of water.
|
|
Cone of impression
|
An increase in the potentiometric surface near a well due to the injection of water.
|
|
Confined aquifer
|
An aquifer overlain by a formation of lower permeability and where the potentiometric surface is above the top of the aquifer.
|
|
Conservation equation
|
An identity that establishes a conservation relationship (e.g., conservation of mass, energy)
|
|
Constitutive relationship
|
A formula that relates inputs or outputs to state variables using perimeters.
|
|
Contaminant
|
An undesirable substance not normally present, or an unusually high concentration of a naturally occurring substance.
|
|
Continental air mass
|
Referring to dry tropospheric air masses
|
|
Darcian flux
|
The rate of ground-water discharge per unit area of porous medium measured perpendicular to the direction of movement.
|
|
Degradation
|
The removal of sediment or detritus from the soil surface or a streambed.
|
|
Detention
|
The temporary capture of water which is subsequently released after a delay.
|
|
Dew
|
Moisture condensed from the atmosphere and deposited in the form of small drops of liquid water upon any cool surface
|
|
Dewpoint
|
The temperature to which air must be cooled, at a given pressure and water-vapor content, for it to reach saturation.
|
|
Energy
|
The capacity to do work
|
|
Environmentalist
|
A person who advocates or works for protection of the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources.
|
|
Environmental lapse rate
|
The observed change in atmospheric temperature as a function of elevation.
|
|
Equipotential line or surface
|
Line (or surface) along which the total head or potential is constant.
|
|
Erosion
|
The process by which the land surface is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, wind, waves, etc.
|
|
Eutrophic
|
Having elevated nutrients that promote biological productivity, resulting in an accumulation of oxygen in the photic zone.
|
|
Eutrophication
|
The addition of nutrients resulting in the creation of a eutrophic water body
|
|
Evaporation
|
To change from a liquid or a solid state into a vapor with a concomitant absorption of energy.
|
|
Evapotranspiration
|
Losing water from the soil both by evaporation from the soil and external plant surfaces, and by transpiration through plants stoma.
|
|
Extirpate
|
To eradicate or destroy wholly
|
|
Fiber netting
|
Strong material of some fiber used to prevent soil erosion.
|
|
Flow duration
|
The amount of time any given flow is equaled or or exceeded.
|
|
Flow volume
|
Sum of all flows during a given time period. This is the area under the hydrograph.
|
|
Fluid flux
|
The flow of water per unit area. In groundwater, equal to the darcian flux. In surface water, equal to the fluid velocity.
|
|
Fluid velocity
|
The rate at which a fluid particle moves along streamline. In ground water, equal to the darcian velocity divided by the water content or porosity (if saturated) of the porous medium. In surface water, equal to the fluid flux.
|
|
Flux
|
The volume of fluid flow per unit time per unit area.
|
|
Fog
|
A cloud-like mass or layer of minute water droplets or ice crystals near the surface of the earth.
|
|
Forward modeling
|
The estimation of a forecast using observed data and a calibrated model.
|
|
Frost
|
Frozen moisture condensed from the atmosphere and deposited in the form of small ice crystals upon any cool surface below the freezing point of water.
|
FANR 3060: ROCKS