1.1 The Drainage basin system

• Outputs: Evaporation

  water turning into water vapour
• Outputs: Evapotranspiration


  The process of evaporation and transpiration together
• Outputs: River Discharge

  The volume of water flowing through a river at a given point.
• Stores: Interception

  Precipitation that is intercepted by the leaves and branches of a plant.
• Stores: Soil Water

  The amount of water that can be stored in the soil.
• Stores: Surface Water


  Any type of water stored on the surface, such as puddles, ponds or lakes.
• Stores: Ground Water


  Water stored underground in saturated areas under the surface.
• Stores: Channel Storage

  Water held in a river or stream channel.
• Flows: Throughfall

  Precipitation that penetrates through the canopy and reaches the soil surface by canopy drip.
• Flows: Stemflow


  The flow of intercepted water down the trunk or stem of a plant.
• Flows: Overland Flow

  The flow of water that occurs when water runs across the Earth's surface.
• Flows: Channel Flow


  The movement of water within the river channel.
• Flows: Infiltration


  The flow of water moving through soil and rock layers that make up the Earth's surface.
• Flows: Percolation

  Water seeping through the soil into the water table.
• Flows: Throughflow


  Water moving slowly downhill through soil and rock.
• Flows: Groundwater Flow


  Very slow water movement deep below the ground through hard rock and compacted soil.
• Flows: Baseflow


  Groundwater flow that feeds into rivers through river banks and river beds.
• Underground water: Water Tables


  The boundary between water-saturated ground and unsaturated ground.
• Underground water: Ground Water

  The water underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface.
• Underground water: Recharge


  The process of water seeping through the soil to replenish aquifers.
• Underground water: Springs


  Where underground water finds an opening on the land surface and emerges.