Hydrology (freshwater) vocabulary

Point source pollution

• Identifiable source of pollutants, such as a factory or farm

• Pollution that comes from multiple sources

• Natural sources of pollution like volcanoes

• Pollution that is difficult to trace

Infiltration

• The process of water evaporating from the surface

• The step in the water cycle when water sinks into permeable ground

• The collection of water in rivers and lakes

• The movement of water through the atmosphere

Run off

• Water flowing over Earth's surface from high to low elevation

• Water that evaporates from the ground

• Water stored in underground aquifers

• Water that is absorbed by plants

Water shed

• A large area of land that collects rainwater

• A small area of land that drains water, many of these together make up a river basin

• An artificial structure built to hold back water

• A type of plant that grows near rivers

Non point source pollution

• Pollution from identifiable sources, such as factories

• Unidentifiable source of pollutants, such as run-off

• Pollution that is easily controlled and managed

• Pollution that occurs only in urban areas

Impereable

• Substance that liquid cannot flow through

• A type of liquid that flows easily

• A solid that dissolves in water

• A gas that cannot be contained

Eutrophication

• Algal blooms causing lack of Oxygen and sunlight, death of organisms, & overgrowth of a body of water over time

• Reduction of nutrients in water leading to increased biodiversity

• Increase in water temperature causing fish migration

• Contamination of water bodies with heavy metals leading to toxicity

Groundwater

• The water present beneath the Earth's surface in rock and soil pore spaces.

• The water found in rivers and lakes on the surface.

• The water vapor present in the atmosphere.

• The water that is used for irrigation and agriculture.

Permeable

• Substance that liquid can flow through

• A solid that blocks all liquids

• A gas that cannot pass through any material

• A liquid that evaporates quickly

Turbidity

• Cloudiness of water due to sediment

• Clarity of water due to filtration

• Color of water due to algae

• Temperature of water due to sunlight