Surface runoff
Surface runoff (pronounced: /ˈsɜːrfɪs ˈrʌnɒf/) is the flow of water that occurs when excess stormwater, meltwater, or other sources flows over the Earth's surface. This might occur because soil is saturated to full capacity, because rain arrives more quickly than soil can absorb it, or because impervious areas (roofs and pavement) send their runoff to surrounding soil that cannot absorb all of it.
Etymology
The term "surface runoff" is derived from the English words "surface" and "runoff". "Surface" (from Old French sur (above) + face (appearance, form)) refers to the outer or topmost boundary of an object or area. "Runoff" (from Middle English runnen (to run) + of (away from)) refers to something that drains or flows off, as rain that flows off from the land in streams.
Related Terms
- Hydrology: The scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability.
- Watershed: An area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.
- Groundwater: Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.
- Evapotranspiration: The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.
- Infiltration (hydrology): The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Surface runoff
- Wikipedia's article - Surface runoff
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski