Hydrology

&
the Water Cycle
 HYDROLOGY
Hydrology, scientific study of the waters
of the Earth, including their occurrence,
distribution in space and time, and their
relation to people and the natural
environment.
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved .

Hydrology studies all aspects of the

movement of water on the surface of the
Earth and within the underlying soil and
rocks.
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Hydrologists are concerned primarily with
water movement within the land phase of
the water cycle, yet this represents only
0.6 per cent of the world's water; 2.1 per
cent of it is locked up in glaciers and ice
sheets, and 97.3 per cent is held in the
oceans.
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Water is constantly circulating through
the water cycle, where evaporation from
the oceans and land produces clouds,
leading to the precipitation of rain and
snow. This replenishes soil moisture and
underground rock stores, and feeds
streams and rivers which flow back into
the sea.
Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
 THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
Evaporation

> The evaporation of water from the

oceans. This vapor is carried over the
continents by moving air masses. If the
vapor is cooled to its dew point, it
condenses into visible water droplets
which forms clouds or fog.
 THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
Precipitation
> This includes all water which falls from
the atmosphere. About 2/3 of the
precipitation which reaches the land
surface is returned to the atmosphere by
evaporation from water surfaces, soil and
vegetation and through transpiration by
plants. The remainder of the
precipitation returns ultimately to the
ocean through surface or underground
channels.
 THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

Infiltration

> This is the movement of water through

the soil surface and into the soil. Some
of the water proceeds to sink into the
earth to form groundwater.
 THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
Transpiration
> This is the process by which plants
remove moisture from the soil and release
it to the air as vapor. Plants remove
water from the soil through their roots
and eventually discharge it through pores
in their leaves

Evapotranspiration
> The combined process of evaporation
and transpiration.
 THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
Run-off
As rain falls toward the earth, a portion of it is
intercepted by the leaves and stems of vegetation. This
retained water together with soil moisture constitute the
basin recharge. Rainwater, exclusive of the basin
recharge may follow the following paths to a stream:
> A portion travels as overland flow (surface run-off) across
the ground surface to the nearest channel.

> Other water may infiltrate into the soil and flow laterally in
the surface soil to a stream as interflow.

> A third portion of the water may percolate downward

through the soil until it reaches the groundwater.