How does water

move through the

drainage basin
system?
 Elements of a drainage
basin:
Inputs
Flow / Transfer
Storage
Output
 Input:
major input - precipitation.

The type: rain or snow, hail, etc.

Factors affecting the amount of

water in the system:
the intensity,

the duration and

Frequency of the precipitation

Flow / transfer:

Interception

Throughfall

Stemflow

Overland flow

Infiltration
Percolation
Throughflow

Groundwater flow / baseflow

Channel flow
 Interception : precipitaion lands on vegetation.

defined as the capture of

precipitation by the plant
canopy and return to the
atmosphere through
evaporation or sublimation.

* Interception loss: water which is retained by

plant surfaces and which is later evaporated
away & absorbed by plant
 Factor affecting
interception:
leaf type increase interception capacity if
leaves &
twigs are dry

wind speed the higher the wind speed the

lower the
interception capacity
- the more frequent the storm
events lesser
the interception loss

Throughfall:
the process of
precipitation
passing through the
plant canopy (Yellow
lines)

Factors affecting:

plant leaf and stem
density,

type of the
precipitation,

intensity of the
precipitation,

and duration of the
precipitation event.

Stemflow:

is the process that directs
precipitation down plant
branches and stems (red
arrows ).

this process causes the
ground area around the
plant's stem to receive
additional moisture.

The amount of stemflow is
determined by

leaf shape and stem

branch architecture.

In general, deciduous trees
have more stemflow than
coniferous vegetation.
 Infiltration : Water that reaches ground surface will soak into soil
Some of the precipitation
seeps into the ground and
stored in aquifers

then it is transported to
streams and lakes by
subsurface flow.

The amount of infiltration is

influenced by:

the permeability and moisture
content of the soil,
the presence of vegetation and
the volume and intensity of
precipitation.
Overland Flow
Rills - Water moving over ground in small channels
Sheetflow - Water moving over ground across the
whole surface
Hortonian Overland Saturated Overland
Flow: Flow:
Long period of steady

infiltration excess overland
flow rain and water table
reach the surface
rainfall is greater than
infiltration capacity
No additional water

E.g. If a soil surface can can be infitrated so
infiltrate 30mm/hr but
precipitation is 40mm/hr,
must remain on
therefore 10mm will be surface
overland flow

Very common in the tropics

Common in the
temperate
Overland flow : water moving over the ground.
Rills
Sheetflow
 Infiltration

A process where water enters the

ground vertically through pores

Factors affecting infiltration:

Intensity & duration of the precipitation
Type of soil
Vegetation & Land cover
Slope of the land
Evapotranspiration
Soil saturation
 Percolation

the slow movement of water through compact layers of soil

and rocks

Factors affecting percolation:

Precipitation

Relief steeper the gradient the less water will be
percolated

Flora & fauna animal tunnels & burrow
- root system of direct movement of
water in the soil

Rock structure / composition

Porous rock sandstone

Permeable rock - limestone
 Groundwater flow / baseflow

Water transfers laterally in the aquifers

If the water table reaches the surface it means
ground is saturated.

(a) infiltration to
deep
groundwater,

(e) overland
flow to (g)

(g) temporary
ponds

(f) deep
groundwater
flow.
 Channel flow

Water transfers to channel through 3

processes:

Surface run-off
Throughflow

Groundwater flow

/baseflow
Factors that influence water flows
within a drainage basin

Rainfall
Vegetation and land use
Climate

Shape

Conditions in drainage basin

Size and shape of the river
basin

Soil type and depth

Bedrock
STORAGES
 Storages

Groundwater Storage

Interception Storage

Aeration Zone Storage

Depression Storage

Surface Storage
Groundwater Storage

Process of percolation produces groundwater

storage

Water collected above the impermeable layer

Or it may fill all the pores spaces, creating a

zone of saturation

Above the impermeable layer, there are 3

zones:

An unsaturated zone

A saturated zone

An intermediate zone
 Unsaturated zone
Soil pores are mostly
filled with
microchannels so
water can move as
percolation and
throughflow

Biological activity
with plant roots, soil
flora and fauna
create microchannels
 Saturated zone

Water accumulates

all the soil pores are

full of water

Baseflow /
groundwater occurs

No biological activity
 Intermediate zone

Zone between the

unsaturated and
saturated zones

Changing patterns of
precipitation and EVT
throughout the year
gives a layer which is
alternatively saturated
and unsaturated

Interflow occurs
 18
Infiltration rate
Rainwater which is not
16
infiltrated will become
Infiltration Rate

14 surface run-off /
overland flow
12

10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6

Hours from the start of rainfall