Section 15: Glossary of Hydrology Terms
Anchor: #i1237340Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP)
The probability of exceedance in a given year.
Anchor: #i1242473Annual Flood
The maximum peak discharge in a water year.
Anchor: #i1242495Annual Flood Series
A list of annual floods.
Anchor: #i1242582Antecedent Conditions
Watershed conditions prevailing prior to an event; normally used to characterize basin wetness, e.g., soil moisture. Also referred to as initial conditions or antecedent moisture conditions (AMC).
Anchor: #i1242645Area-Capacity Curve
A graph showing the relation between the surface area of the water in a reservoir and the corresponding volume.
Anchor: #i1242730Attenuation
The reduction in the peak of a hydrograph resulting in a broad, flat hydrograph.
Anchor: #i1242770Backwater
Water backed up or retarded in its course as compared with its normal or natural condition of flow. In stream gauging, a rise in stage produced by a temporary obstruction such as ice or weeds, or by the flooding of the stream below. The difference between the observed stage and that indicated by the stage-discharge relation is reported as backwater.
Anchor: #i1242834Bank
The margins of a channel. Banks are called right or left as viewed facing downstream (in the direction of the flow).
Anchor: #i1242928Bank Storage
The water absorbed into the banks of a stream channel, when the stages rise above the water table in the bank formations, then returns to the channel as effluent seepage when the stages fall below the water table.
Anchor: #i1242956Bankfull Stage
Maximum stage of a stream before it overflows its banks. (see also flood stage.)
Anchor: #i1242977Base Discharge (for peak discharge)
In the USGS annual reports on surface-water supply, the discharge above which peak discharge data are published. The base discharge at each station is selected so that an average of about 3 peaks a year will be presented. (See also partial-duration flood series.)
Anchor: #i1242997Baseflow
The sustained or fair weather flow in a channel due to subsurface runoff. In most streams, baseflow is composed largely of groundwater effluent. Also known as base runoff.
Anchor: #i1243017Basic Hydrologic Data
Includes inventories of features of land and water that vary spatially (topographic and geologic maps are examples), and records of processes that vary with both place and time. (Records of precipitation, streamflow, ground water, and quality-of-water analyses are examples.) Basic hydrologic information is a broad term that includes surveys of the water resources of particular areas and a study of their physical and related economic processes, interrelations, and mechanisms.
Anchor: #i1243037Basic-Stage Flood Series
See partial duration flood series.
Anchor: #i1243057Bifurcation
The point where a stream channel splits into two distinct channels.
Anchor: #i1518697Binomial Statistical Distribution
The frequency distribution of the probability of a specified number of successes in an arbitrary number of repeated independent Bernoulli trials. Also called Bernoulli distribution.
Anchor: #i1243077Boundary Condition
Conditions at the boundary of a problem that govern its solution. For example, when solving a routing problem for a given reach, an upstream inflow boundary condition is necessary to solve for the outflow at the downstream end of the reach.
Anchor: #i1243097Calibration
Derivation of a set of model parameter values that produces the best fit to observed data.
Anchor: #i1243117Canopy-Interception
Precipitation that falls on and is stored in the leaves or trunks of vegetation. The term can refer to either the process or a volume.
Anchor: #i1243140Channel (watercourse)
An open conduit either naturally or artificially created which periodically or continuously contains moving water, or which forms a connecting link between two bodies of water. River, creek, run, branch, anabranch, and tributary are some of the terms used to describe natural channels. Natural channels may be single or braided. Canal and floodway are terms used to describe artificial channels.
Anchor: #i1243184Channel Storage
The volume of water at a given time in the channel or over the flood plain of the streams in a drainage basin or river reach. Channel storage can be large during the progress of a flood event.
Anchor: #i1243204Computation Duration
The user-defined time window used in hydrologic modeling.
Anchor: #i1243224Computation Interval
The user-defined time step used by a hydrologic model for performing mathematical computations. For example, if the computation interval is 15 min. and the starting time is 1200, hydrograph ordinates will be computed at 1200, 1215, 1230, 1245, and so on.
Anchor: #i1243244Concentration Time
See time of concentration.
Anchor: #i1243264Confluence
The point at which two distinct stream channels converge
Anchor: #i1243284Continuous Model
A model that tracks the periods between precipitation events, as well as the events themselves. See event-based model.
Anchor: #i1243594Correlation
The process of establishing a relation between a variable and one or more related variables. Correlation is simple if there is only one independent variable and multiple when there are two or more independent variables. For gauging station records, the usual variables are the short-term gauging-station record and one or more long-term gauging-station records
Anchor: #i1243615Dendritic
Channel pattern of streams with tributaries that branch to form a tree-like pattern.
Anchor: #i1243635Depression Storage
The volume of water contained in natural depressions in the land surface, such as puddles.
Anchor: #i1243655Design Flood
The flood that is chosen as the basis for the design of a hydraulic structure.
Anchor: #i1243675Design Storm
Rainfall amount and distribution in time and space used to determine a design flood or design peak discharge
Anchor: #i1243695Detention Basin
Storage facility, such as a small unregulated reservoir, which delays the conveyance of water downstream.
Anchor: #i1243715Diffusion
Dissipation of the energy associated with a flood wave; results in the attenuation of the flood wave.
Anchor: #i1243735Direct Runoff
The runoff entering stream channels promptly after rainfall or snowmelt. Superimposed on base runoff, it forms the bulk of the hydrograph of a flood. See also surface runoff. The terms base runoff and direct runoff are time classifications of runoff. The terms groundwater runoff and surface runoff are classifications according to source.
Anchor: #i1243755Discharge
The volume of water that passes through a given cross-section per unit time; commonly measured in cubic feet per second (cfs) or cubic meters per second (m3/s). Also referred to as flow.
In its simplest concept discharge means outflow; therefore, the use of this term is not restricted as to course or location, and it can be applied to describe the flow of water from a pipe or from a drainage basin. If the discharge occurs in some course or channel, it is correct to speak of the discharge of a canal or of a river. It is also correct to speak of the discharge of a canal or stream into a lake, a stream, or an ocean. (See also streamflow and runoff.)
Discharge data in USGS reports on surface water represent the total fluids measured. Thus, the terms discharge, streamflow, and runoff represent water with sediment and dissolved solids. Of these terms, discharge is the most comprehensive. The discharge of drainage basins is distinguished as follows:
Yield: Total water runout; includes runoff plus underflow.
Runoff: That part of water yield that appears in streams.
Streamflow: The actual flow in streams, whether or not subject to regulation, or underflow.
Each of these terms can be reported in total volumes or time rates. The differentiation between runoff as a volume and streamflow as a rate is not accepted.
Anchor: #i1243778Discharge Rating Curve
See stage discharge relation.
Anchor: #i1243802Distribution Graph (distribution hydrograph)
A unit hydrograph of direct runoff modified to show the proportions of the volume of runoff that occurs during successive equal units of time.
Anchor: #i1243822Diversion
The taking of water from a stream or other body of water into a canal, pipe, or other conduit.
Anchor: #i1243842Drainage Area
The drainage area of a stream at a specified location is that area, measured in a horizontal plane, which is enclosed by a drainage divide.
Anchor: #i1243862Drainage Divide
The rim of a drainage basin. (See watershed.)
Anchor: #i1243882Duration Curve
See flow-duration curve for one type.
Anchor: #i1243902ET
See evapotranspiration.
Anchor: #i1243922Effective Precipitation (rainfall)
1. That part of the precipitation that produces runoff.
2. A weighted average of current and antecedent precipitation that is "effective" in correlating with runoff.
Anchor: #i1243942Evaporation
The process by which water is changed from the liquid or the solid state into the vapor state. In hydrology, evaporation is vaporization and sublimation that takes place at a temperature below the boiling point. In a general sense, evaporation is often used interchangeably with evapotranspiration or ET.
Anchor: #i1245491Evaporation Demand
The maximum potential evaporation generally determined using an evaporation pan. For example, if there is sufficient water in the combination of canopy and surface storage, and in the soil profile, the actual evaporation will equal the evaporation demand. A soil-water retention curve describes the relationship between evaporation demand and actual evaporation when the demand is greater than available water. See tension zone.
Anchor: #i1245512Evaporation Pan
An open tank used to contain water for measuring the amount of evaporation. The US National Weather Service class A pan is 4 ft in diameter, 10 in. deep, set up on a timber grillage so that the top rim is about 16 in. from the ground. The water level in the pan during the course of observation is maintained between 2 and 3 in. below the rim.
Anchor: #i1245532Evaporation, Total
The sum of water lost from a given land area during any specific time by transpiration from vegetation and building of plant tissue; by evaporation from water surfaces, moist soil, and snow; and by interception. It has been variously termed evaporation, evaporation from land areas, evapotranspiration, total loss, water losses, and fly off.
Anchor: #i1245552Evapotranspiration
Water withdrawn from a land area by evaporation from water surfaces and moist soils and plant transpiration.
Anchor: #i1245582Event-Based Model
A model that simulates some hydrologic response to a precipitation event. See continuous model.
Anchor: #i1245606Exceedance Probability
Hydrologically, the probability that an event selected at random will exceed a specified magnitude.
Anchor: #i1245626Excess Precipitation
The precipitation in excess of infiltration capacity, evaporation, transpiration, and other losses. Also referred to as effective precipitation.
Anchor: #i1245646Excessive Rainfall
See rainfall, excessive.
Anchor: #i1245666Falling Limb
The portion of a hydrograph where runoff is decreasing.
Anchor: #i1245686Field Capacity
The quantity of water which can be permanently retained in the soil in opposition to the downward pull of gravity. Also known as field-moisture capacity.
Anchor: #i1245706Field-Moisture Deficiency
The quantity of water which would be required to restore the soil moisture to field-moisture capacity.
Anchor: #i1245726Flood
An overflow or inundation that comes from a river or other body of water, and causes or threatens damage. Any relatively high streamflow overtopping the natural or artificial banks in any reach of a stream. A relatively high flow as measured by either gauge height or discharge quantity. As it relates to highway drainage design for TxDOT, and for the purposes of this manual, any direct runoff from precipitation; not limited to an out-of-banks event.
Anchor: #i1245746Flood Crest
See flood peak.
Anchor: #i1245766Flood Event
See flood wave.
Anchor: #i1245796Flood Peak
The highest value of the stage or discharge attained by a flood; thus, peak stage or peak discharge. Flood crest has nearly the same meaning, but since it connotes the top of the flood wave, it is properly used only in referring to stage—thus, crest stage, but not crest discharge.
Anchor: #i1245820Floodplain
A strip of relatively flat land bordering a stream, built of sediment carried by the stream and dropped in the slack water beyond the influence of the swiftest current. It is called a living flood plain if it is overflowed in times of high water; but a fossil flood plain if it is beyond the reach of the highest flood. The lowland that borders a river, usually dry but subject to flooding. That land outside of a stream channel described by the perimeter of the maximum probable flood.
Anchor: #i1245840Flood Profile
A graph of elevation of the water surface of a river in flood, plotted as ordinate, against distance, measured in the downstream direction, plotted as abscissa. A flood profile may be drawn to show elevation at a given time, crests during a particular flood, or to show stages of concordant flows.
Anchor: #i1245860Flood Routing
The process of progressively determining the timing and shape of a flood wave at successive points along a river.
Anchor: #i1245880Flood Stage
The gauge height of the lowest bank of the reach in which the gauge is situated. The term "lowest bank" is, however, not to be taken to mean an unusually low place or break in the natural bank through which the water inundates an unimportant and small area. The stage at which overflow of the natural banks of a stream begins to occur. See also bankfull stage.
Anchor: #i1245900Flood Wave
A distinct rise in stage culminating in a crest and followed by recession to lower stages.
Anchor: #i1245920Flood, Maximum Probable
The flood magnitude that may be expected from the most critical combination of meteorologic and hydrologic conditions reasonably possible for a given watershed.
Anchor: #i1245940Flood-Frequency Curve
1. A graph showing the number of times per year on the average, plotted as abscissa, that floods of magnitude, indicated by the ordinate, are equaled or exceeded.
2. A similar graph but with recurrence intervals of floods plotted as abscissa.
Anchor: #i1251893Floodway
A part of the floodplain otherwise leveed, reserved for emergency diversion of water during floods. A part of the floodplain which, to facilitate the passage of floodwater, is kept clear of encumbrances.
The channel of a river or stream and those parts of the floodplains adjoining the channel which are reasonably required to carry and discharge the floodwater or flood flow of any river or stream.
Anchor: #i1251914Flow-Duration Curve
A cumulative frequency curve that shows the percentage of time that specified discharges are equaled or exceeded.
Anchor: #i1251934Gauging Station
A particular site on a stream, canal, lake, or reservoir where systematic observations of gauge height or discharge are obtained. (See also stream-gauging station.)
Anchor: #i1251954Ground Water
Water in the ground that is in the zone of saturation, from which wells, springs, and groundwater runoff are supplied.
Anchor: #i1251974Groundwater Outflow
That part of the discharge from a drainage basin that occurs through the ground water. The term "underflow" is often used to describe the groundwater outflow that takes place in valley alluvium (instead of the surface channel) and thus is not measured at a gauging station.
Anchor: #i1252006Groundwater Runoff
That part of the runoff that has passed into the ground, has become ground water, and has been discharged into a stream channel as spring or seepage water. See also base runoff and direct runoff.
Anchor: #i1252034Hydraulic Radius
The flow area of a channel cross section divided by the wetted perimeter. The wetted perimeter does not include the free surface.
Anchor: #i1252054Hydrograph
A graph showing stage, flow, velocity, or other property of water with respect to time.
Anchor: #i1252074Hydrologic Budget
An accounting of the inflow to, outflow from, and storage in a hydrologic unit, such as a drainage basin, aquifer, soil zone, lake, reservoir, or irrigation project.
Anchor: #i1252094Hydrologic Cycle
The continuous process of water movement between the oceans, atmosphere, and land.
Anchor: #i1252114Hydrology
The study of water; generally focuses on the distribution of water and interaction with the land surface and underlying soils and rocks.
Anchor: #i1252134Hyetograph
A plot of rainfall intensity versus time; often represented by a bar graph.
Anchor: #i1252154Index Precipitation
An index that can be used to adjust for bias in regional precipitation, often quantified as the expected annual precipitation.
Anchor: #i1252174Infiltration
The movement of water from the land surface into the soil.
Anchor: #i1252194Infiltration Capacity
The maximum rate at which the soil, when in a given condition, can absorb falling rain or melting snow.
Anchor: #i1252612Infiltration Index
An average rate of infiltration, in inches per hour, equal to the average rate of rainfall such that the volume of rainfall at greater rates equals the total direct runoff.
Anchor: #i1252633Inflection Point
Generally refers the point on a hydrograph separating the falling limb from the recession curve; any point on the hydrograph where the curve changes concavity.
Anchor: #i1252653Initial Condition
The conditions prevailing prior to an event. Refer also to antecedent conditions.
Anchor: #i1252673Interception
The capture of precipitation above the ground surface (e.g., by vegetation or buildings).
Anchor: #i1252693Isohyetal Line
A line drawn on a map or chart joining points that receive the same amount of precipitation.
Anchor: #i1252713Lag
Variously defined as time from beginning (or center of mass) of rainfall to peak (or center of mass) of a runoff hydrograph.
Anchor: #i1252733Lag Time
The time from the center of mass of excess rainfall to the hydrograph peak. Also referred to as basin lag.
Anchor: #i1252753Loss
The difference between the volume of rainfall and the volume of runoff. Losses include water absorbed by infiltration, water stored in surface depressions, and water intercepted by vegetation.
Anchor: #i1252783Mass Curve
A graph of the cumulative values of a hydrologic quantity (such as precipitation or runoff), generally as ordinate, plotted against time or date as abscissa. (See double-mass curve and residual-mass curve.)
Anchor: #i1252807Maximum Probable Flood
See flood, maximum probable.
Anchor: #i1252827Meander
The winding of a stream channel.
Anchor: #i1252847Model
A physical or mathematical representation of a process that can be used to predict some aspect of the process.
Anchor: #i1252867Moisture
Water diffused in the atmosphere or the ground.
Anchor: #i1252887Objective Function
A mathematical expression that allows comparison between a calculated result and a specified goal. For model calibration, the objective function compares calculated discharge with observed discharge.
Anchor: #i1252907Overland Flow
The shallow flow of water over the land surface before combining with additional flow to become channel flow.
Anchor: #i1252927Parameter
A variable, in a general model, whose value is adjusted to make the model specific to a given situation. A numerical measure of the properties of the real-world system.
Anchor: #i1252947Parameter Estimation
The selection of a parameter value based on the results of analysis and/or engineering judgment. Analysis techniques include calibration, regional analysis, estimating equations, and physically based methods. Refer also to calibration.
Anchor: #i1252967Partial-Duration Flood Series
A list of all flood peaks that exceed a chosen base stage or discharge, regardless of the number of peaks occurring in a year. (Also called basic-stage flood series, or floods above a base.)
Anchor: #i1252997Peak Flow
The point of the hydrograph that has the highest flow.
Anchor: #i1253021Peak Stage
The highest elevation reached by a flood wave. Also referred to as the crest.
Anchor: #i1253041Percolation
The movement, under hydrostatic pressure, of water through the interstices of a rock or soil.
Anchor: #i1253061PMF
Probable maximum flood; see flood, probable maximum.
Anchor: #i1253081Precipitation
As used in hydrology, precipitation is the discharge of water, in liquid or solid state, out of the atmosphere, generally upon a land or water surface. It is the common process by which atmospheric water becomes surface or subsurface water. The term precipitation is also commonly used to designate the quantity of water that is precipitated. Precipitation includes rainfall, snow, hail, and sleet, and is therefore a more general term than rainfall.
Anchor: #i1253101Precipitation, Probable Maximum
Theoretically the greatest depth of precipitation for a given duration that is physically possible over a given size storm area at a particular geographical location at a certain time of the year.
Anchor: #i1253121Probability of Capacity Exceedance
The likelihood of the design flow rate (or volume of water with specified duration) of a hydraulic structure being exceeded in a given year.
Anchor: #i1253141Probability of Exceedance
The likelihood of a specified flow rate (or volume of water with specified duration) being exceeded in a given year.
Anchor: #i1253161Rain
Liquid precipitation.
Anchor: #i1253772Rainfall
The quantity of water that falls as rain only. Not synonymous with precipitation.
Anchor: #i1253793Rainfall Excess
The volume of rainfall available for direct runoff. It is equal to the total rainfall minus interception, depression storage, and absorption.
Anchor: #i1253813Rating Curve
The relationship between stage and discharge.
Anchor: #i1253833Reach
A segment of a stream channel.
Anchor: #i1253853Recession Curve
The portion of the hydrograph where runoff is predominantly produced from basin storage (subsurface and small land depressions); it is separated from the falling limb of the hydrograph by an inflection point.
Anchor: #i1253873Recurrence Interval (return period)
The average interval of time within which the given flood will be equaled or exceeded once. When the recurrence interval is expressed in years, it is the reciprocal of the annual exceedance probability (AEP).
Anchor: #i1253893Regulation, Regulated
The artificial manipulation of the flow of a stream.
Anchor: #i1253923Reservoir
A pond, lake, or basin, either natural or artificial, for the storage, regulation, and control of water.
Anchor: #i1253947Residual-Mass Curve
A graph of the cumulative departures from a given reference such as the arithmetic average, generally as ordinate, plotted against time or date, as abscissa. (See mass curve.)
Anchor: #i1253967Retention Basin
Similar to detention basin but water in storage is permanently obstructed from flowing downstream.
Anchor: #i1253987Rising Limb
Portion of the hydrograph where runoff is increasing.
Anchor: #i1254007Runoff
Precipitation on the ground that is not captured by evaporation, infiltration, interception, or surface storage.
Anchor: #i1254027Saturation Zone
The portion of the soil profile where available water storage is completely filled. The boundary between the vadose zone and the saturation zone is called the water table. Note that under certain periods of infiltration, the uppermost layers of the soil profile can be saturated. See vadose zone.
Anchor: #i1254047NRCS Curve Number
An empirically derived relationship between location, soil-type, land use, antecedent moisture conditions, and runoff. A Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) curve number is used in an event-based model to establish the initial soil moisture condition and the infiltration.
Anchor: #i1254067Snow
A form of precipitation composed of ice crystals.
Anchor: #i1254087Soil Moisture Accounting (SMA)
A modeling process that accounts for continuous fluxes to and from the soil profile. Models can be event-based or continuous. When using a continuous simulation, a soil moisture accounting method is used to account for changes in soil moisture between precipitation events.
Anchor: #i1254107Soil Moisture (soil water)
Water diffused in the soil, the upper part of the zone of aeration from which water is discharged by the transpiration of plants or by soil evaporation. See field-moisture capacity and field-moisture deficiency.
Anchor: #i1255600Soil Profile
A description of the uppermost layers of the ground down to bedrock. In a hydrologic context, the portion of the ground subject to infiltration, evaporation, and percolation fluxes.
Anchor: #i1255621Stage
The height of a water surface in relation to a datum.
Anchor: #i1255641Stage-Capacity Curve
A graph showing the relation between the surface elevation of the water in a reservoir usually plotted as ordinate, against the volume below that elevation plotted as abscissa.
Anchor: #i1255661Stage-Discharge Curve (rating curve)
A graph showing the relation between the water height, usually plotted as ordinate, and the amount of water flowing in a channel, expressed as volume per unit of time, plotted as abscissa.
Anchor: #i1255681Stage-Discharge Relation
The relation expressed by the stage-discharge curve.
Anchor: #i1255701Stemflow
Rainfall or snowmelt led to the ground down the trunks or stems of plants.
Anchor: #i1255721Storage
1. Water artificially or naturally impounded in surface or underground reservoirs. The term regulation refers to the action of this storage in modifying downstream streamflow.
2. Water naturally detained in a drainage basin, such as ground water, channel storage, and depression storage. The term drainage basin storage or simply basin storage is sometimes used to refer collectively to the amount of water in natural storage in a drainage basin.
Anchor: #i1255753Storm
A disturbance of the ordinary average conditions of the atmosphere which, unless specifically qualified, may include any or all meteorological disturbances, such as wind, rain, snow, hail, or thunder.
Anchor: #i1255781Stream
A general term for a body of flowing water. In hydrology the term is generally applied to the water flowing in a natural channel as distinct from a canal. More generally, as in the term stream gauging, it is applied to the water flowing in any channel, natural or artificial.
Anchor: #i1255801Stream Gauging
The process of measuring the depths, areas, velocities, and rates of flow in natural or artificial channels.
Anchor: #i1255821Streamflow
The discharge that occurs in a natural channel. Although the term discharge can be applied to the flow of a canal, the word streamflow uniquely describes the discharge in a surface stream course. The term streamflow is more general than runoff, as streamflow may be applied to discharge whether or not it is affected by diversion or regulation.
Anchor: #i1255841Stream-Gauging Station
A gauging station where a record of discharge of a stream is obtained. Within the USGS this term is used only for those gauging stations where a continuous record of discharge is obtained.
Anchor: #i1255861Sublimation
The process of transformation directly between a solid and a gas.
Anchor: #i1255881Surface Runoff
That part of the runoff that travels over the soil surface to the nearest stream channel. It is also defined as that part of the runoff of a drainage basin that has not passed beneath the surface since precipitation. The term is misused when applied in the sense of direct runoff. See also runoff, overland flow, direct runoff, groundwater runoff, and surface water.
Anchor: #i1255901Surface Water
Water on the surface of the earth.
Anchor: #i1255921Tension Zone
In the context of HEC-HMS, the portion of the soil profile that will lose water only to evapotranspiration. This designation allows modeling water held in the interstices of the soil. See soil profile.
Anchor: #i1255941Time of Concentration
The travel time from the hydraulically furthermost point in a watershed to the outlet. Also defined as the time from the end of rainfall excess to the inflection point on the recession curve.
Anchor: #i1256601Time of Rise
The time from the start of rainfall excess to the peak of the hydrograph.
Anchor: #i1259262Time to Peak
The time from the center of mass of the rainfall excess to the peak of the hydrograph. Refer also to lag time
Anchor: #i1259282TR-20
Computer program developed by the NRCS that provides a hydrologic analysis of a watershed under present conditions. Output consists of peaks and/or flood hydrographs. Subarea surface runoff hydrographs are developed from storm rainfall using the dimensionless unit hydrograph, drainage areas, times of concentration, and NRCS runoff curve numbers. Instructions to develop, route, add, store, divert, or divide hydrographs are established to convey floodwater from the headwaters to the watershed outlet.
Anchor: #i1259302TR-55
Urban Hydrology for Small Watershed—Technical Release 55 published by the NRCS. Technical Release 55 (TR-55) presents simplified procedures to calculate storm runoff volume, peak rate of discharge, hydrographs, and storage volumes required for floodwater reservoirs. These procedures are applicable to small watersheds, especially urbanizing watersheds, in the United States.
Anchor: #i1259322Transpiration
The quantity of water absorbed and transpired and used directly in the building of plant tissue, in a specified time. It does not include soil evaporation. The process by which water vapor escapes from the living plant, principally the leaves, and enters the atmosphere.
Anchor: #i1259342Underflow
The downstream flow of water through the permeable deposits that underlie a stream and that are more or less limited by rocks of low permeability.
Anchor: #i1259374Unit Hydrograph
A direct runoff hydrograph produced by 1 unit of excess precipitation over a specified duration. For example, a 1-hour unit hydrograph is the direct runoff from one unit of excess precipitation occurring uniformly over one hour.
Anchor: #i1259402Vadose Zone
The portion of the soil profile above the saturation zone.
Anchor: #i1259422Water Year
In USGS reports dealing with surface-water supply, the 12-month period, October 1 through September 30. The water year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends and which includes 9 of the 12 months. Thus, the year ended September 30, 1959, is called the 1959 water year.
Anchor: #i1259442Watershed
An area characterized by all direct runoff being conveyed to the same outlet. Similar terms include basin, drainage basin, catchment, and catch basin.
A part of the surface of the earth that is occupied by a drainage system, which consists of a surface stream or a body of impounded surface water together with all tributary surface streams and bodies of impounded surface water.
Anchor: #i1259462WinTR-55
A MS Windows-based computer program developed by NRCS. WinTR-55 uses the procedures presented in TR-20 as the driving engine for more accurate analysis of the hydrology of the small watershed system being studied.