Hydrology.

Definition of terms:

1. Aeration zone: zone between soil moisture zone

and capillary zone above water table.

2. Water-table: it separates Ground water zones

that lies below and Aeration zone /capillay fringe
lines above.

3. Ground water zone: Precipitation that

succeeds in moving from the
soil layer down into the underlying bedrock will at
some point reach an area of permanent saturation
that is known as the groundwater zone

4. Precipitation: Form major inputs into the system,

for example rainfall and snow.

5. Groundwater flow/baseflow: water transferred

slowly laterally below water table.

6. Infiltration: The maximum rate at which water

can pass through the soil.

7. Percolation: Water reaches underlying soil or

rock layers, which tend to be more compact (slow
movement) create groundwater storage.

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8. Throughflow: Water that flow laterally parallel to
the earth’s surface.

9. Interflow: The water, derived from precipitation,

that infiltrates the soil surface and then moves
laterally through the upper layers of soil above the
water table until it reaches a stream channel or
returns to the surface at some point downslope
from its point of infiltration.

10. Evaporation: physical process by which

moisture loss into atmosphere from water
surfaces, including vegetation, soil due to sun’s
heat and effects of air movement.

11.Throughfall: Water reaches the ground when it

drops off the leaves.

12. Stemflow: Water reaches the ground when it

flows down the trunk.

13. Transpiration: biological process by which

water is lost from a plant through stomata in its
leaves.

14. Interception: the first raindrops of a rainfall

event will fall on vegetation which shelters the
underlying ground. (interception storage)

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15. Overlandflow: Excess water which flow over
earth surface when precipitation is very heavy or
when soil becomes saturated.

16. Seepage: slow movement of water through the

soil.

17. Evapotranspiration: Moisture which is loss

directly into atmosphere from water surface by
process of evaporation and by process of
transpiration from vegetation.

18. Soil moisture storage: amount of water held in

the soil at one time.

19. Interception storage: first raindrops of a rainfall

event that fall on vegetation which shelters the
underlying ground. (water collected in leaves of
trees)

20. Surface storage storage: rainfall that are not

intercepted by vegetation reaches the ground
surface and fill in small surface depression and
excess water will overflow as run-off.

21. Ground water storage: water which is held in

pores and cervices and its underlying bedrock.

22. Drainage basin: the area that is drained by a

river and its tributaries.

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23. Flood: A body of water that rises to overflow
land not normally submerged.