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Surface-water hydrology is the sub-field of hydrology concerned with above-earth water (surface water), in contrast to groundwater hydrology that deals with water below the surface of the Earth. Its applications include rainfall and runoff , the routes that surface water takes (for example through rivers or reservoirs ), and the occurrence of ...
Surface hydrology is the study of hydrologic processes that operate at or near Earth's surface. Drainage basin management covers water storage, in the form of reservoirs, and floods protection. Water quality includes the chemistry of water in rivers and lakes, both of pollutants and natural solutes.
The hyporheic zone is the region of sediment and porous space beneath and alongside a stream bed, where there is mixing of shallow groundwater and surface water.The flow dynamics and behavior in this zone (termed hyporheic flow or underflow) is recognized to be important for surface water/groundwater interactions, as well as fish spawning, among other processes. [1]
Surface and groundwater are two separate entities, so they must be regarded as such. However, there is an ever-increasing need for management of the two as they are part of an interrelated system that is paramount when the demand for water exceeds the available supply (Fetter 464).
The forcing of the spring to the surface can be the result of a confined aquifer in which the recharge area of the spring water table rests at a higher elevation than that of the outlet. Spring water forced to the surface by elevated sources are artesian wells. This is possible even if the outlet is in the form of a 300-foot-deep (91 m) cave.
Surface runoff (also known as overland flow or terrestrial runoff) is the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface, in contrast to channel runoff (or stream flow). It occurs when excess rainwater , stormwater , meltwater , or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil .
Surface runoff often occurs because impervious areas (such as roofs and pavement) do not allow water to soak into the ground. Furthermore, runoff can occur either through natural or human-made processes. [5] Surface runoff is a major component of the water cycle. It is the primary agent of soil erosion by water.
Isotope hydrology – the study of the isotopic signatures of water; Surface hydrology – the study of hydrologic processes that operate at or near the Earth's surface; Catchment hydrology – study of the governing processes in a given hydrologically defined catchment