What happens to discharge of streams?
As discharge increases, generally width, depth, and velocity of the stream also increase. A stream’s velocity depends on position in the stream channel, irregularities in the stream channel caused by resistant rock, and stream gradient. Friction slows water along channel edges.
What is stream discharge quizlet?
stream discharge. the volume of water passing a given point over a set time.
What is meant by river discharge?
‘River discharge’ is the volume of water flowing through a river channel; measured at any given point in cubic metres per second.
What is stream discharge in geography?
Stream discharge is the amount (the volume) of water carried by a stream past a point per second. It is measured in meters cubed per second or cubic feet per second.
Why is stream discharge important?
It is important because of its impact on water quality and on the living organisms and habitats in the stream. Large, swiftly flowing rivers can receive pollution discharges and be little affected, whereas small streams have less capacity to dilute and degrade wastes.
What do you think happens to the discharge of streams as they increase in order?
As the order of the stream increases, the discharge increases, the gradient decreases, the velocity increases, and the channel dimensions (width and depth) increase to accommodate the increased discharge.
What would happen if a stream or river has too much discharge?
Floods occur when the discharge of the stream becomes too high to be accommodated in the normal stream channel. When the discharge becomes too high, the stream widens its channel by overtopping its banks and flooding the low-lying areas surrounding the stream. The areas that become flooded are called floodplains.
What affects the discharge of a river?
River discharge is the volume of water flowing through a river channel. This is the total volume of water flowing through a channel at any given point and is measured in cubic metres per second (cumecs). The discharge from a drainage basin depends on precipitation, evapotranspiration and storage factors.
Why does discharge in a stream usually increase downstream quizlet?
Why does the velocity of a stream generally increase downstream even though the gradient decreases? Velocity generally increases downstream because channels are generally smoother downstream and because stream volume tends to increase as more tributaries enter downstream.
Why do streams deposit sediment on the inside of a meander?
As a stream gets closer to base level, its gradient lowers and it deposits more material than it erodes. On flatter ground, streams deposit material on the inside of meanders.
Which of the following is the formula for discharge quizlet?
Hydrologists often use the following equation to determine stream discharge: Q = wdv; where Q = discharge; w = channel width; d = channel depth; and v = stream velocity.
What does it mean to say that Earth’s water cycle is balanced?
average annual precipitation
Balance in the water cycle means the average annual precipitation over Earth equals the amount of water that evaporates.