The Hydrologic Cycle

Prepared by: Dave Bellesa

The Hydrologic Cycle

Introduction
The hydrologic cycle is a conceptual model that describes the storage and movement of water between the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and the hydrosphere. Water on our planet can be stored in any one of the following major reservoirs: atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers, soils, glaciers, snowfields, and groundwater. Water moves from one reservoir to another by way of processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, interception, infiltration, percolation, transpiration, runoff, and storage. The oceans supply most of the evaporated water found in the atmosphere. Of this evaporated water, only 91% of it is returned to the ocean basins by way of precipitation. The remaining 9% is transported to areas over landmasses where climatological factors induce the formation of precipitation. The resulting imbalance between rates of evaporation and precipitation over land and ocean is corrected by runoff and groundwater flow to the oceans.

The Hydrologic Cycle

EVAPORATION
Evaporation occurs when the physical state of water is changed from a liquid state to a gaseous state. A considerable amount of heat, about 600 calories of energy for each gram of water, is exchanged during the change of state. Typically, solar radiation and other factors such as air temperature, vapor pressure, wind, and atmospheric pressure affect the amount of natural evaporation that takes place in any geographic area. Evaporation can occur on raindrops, and on free water surfaces such as seas and lakes. It can even occur from water settled on vegetation, soil, rocks and snow. There is also evaporation caused by human activities. Heated buildings experience evaporation of water settled on its surfaces. Evaporated moisture is lifted into the atmosphere from the ocean, land surfaces, and water bodies as water vapor. Some vapor always exists in the atmosphere.

The Hydrologic Cycle

CONDENSATION
Condensation is the process by which water vapor changes it's physical state from a vapor, most commonly, to a liquid. Water vapor condenses onto small airborne particles to form dew, fog, or clouds. The most active particles that form clouds are sea salts, atmospheric ions caused by lightning, and combustion products containing sulfurous and nitrous acids. Condensation is brought about by cooling of the air or by increasing the amount of vapor in the air to its saturation point. When water vapor condenses back into a liquid state, the same large amount of heat (600 calories of energy per gram) that was needed to make it a vapor is released to the environment.

The Hydrologic Cycle

PRECIPITATION
Precipitation is the process that occurs when any and all forms of water particles fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground. There are two sub-processes that cause clouds to release precipitation, the coalescence process and the ice-crystal process. As water drops reach a critical size, the drop is exposed to gravity and frictional drag. A falling drop leaves a turbulent wake behind which allows smaller drops to fall faster and to be overtaken to join and combine with the lead drop. The other sub-process that can occur is the ice-crystal formation process. It occurs when ice develops in cold clouds or in cloud formations high in the atmosphere where freezing temperatures occur. When nearby water droplets approach the crystals some droplets evaporate and condense on the crystals. The crystals grow to a critical size and drop as snow or ice pellets. Sometimes, as the pellets fall through lower elevation air, they melt and change into raindrops.

 Precipitated water may fall into a water body or it may fall onto land. It is then dispersed several ways. The water can adhere to objects on or near the planet surface or it can be carried over and through the land into stream channels, or it may penetrate into the soil, or it may be intercepted by plants. When rainfall is small and infrequent, a high percentage of precipitation is returned to the atmosphere by evaporation. The portion of precipitation that appears in surface streams is called runoff. Runoff may consist of component contributions from such sources as surface runoff, subsurface runoff, or ground water runoff. Surface runoff travels over the ground surface and through surface channels to leave a catchment area called a drainage basin or watershed. The portion of the surface runoff that flows over the land surface towards the stream channels is called overland flow. The total runoff confined in the stream channels is called the stream flow.
The Hydrologic Cycle

The Hydrologic Cycle

INTERCEPTION
Interception is the process of interrupting the movement of water in the chain of transportation events leading to streams. The interception can take place by vegetal cover or depression storage in puddles and in land formations such as rills and furrows.

When rain first begins, the water striking leaves and other organic materials spreads over the surfaces in a thin layer or it collects at points or edges. When the maximum surface storage capability on the surface of the material is exceeded, the material stores additional water in growing drops along its edges. Eventually the weight of the drops exceeds the surface tension and water falls to the ground. Wind and the impact of rain drops can also release the water from the organic material. The water layer on organic surfaces and the drops of water along the edges are also freely exposed to evaporation.
Additionally, interception of water on the ground surface during freezing and subfreezing conditions can be substantial. The interception of falling snow and ice on vegetation also occurs. The highest level of interception occurs when it snows on conifer forests and hardwood forests that have not yet lost their leaves.

The Hydrologic Cycle

INFILTRATION
Infiltration is the physical process involving movement of water through the boundary area where the atmosphere interfaces with the soil. The surface phenomenon is governed by soil surface conditions. Water transfer is related to the porosity of the soil and the permeability of the soil profile. Typically, the infiltration rate depends on the puddling of the water at the soil surface by the impact of raindrops, the texture and structure of the soil, the initial soil moisture content, the decreasing water concentration as the water moves deeper into the soil filling of the pores in the soil matrices, changes in the soil composition, and to the swelling of the wetted soils that in turn close cracks in the soil. Water that is infiltrated and stored in the soil can also become the water that later is evapotranspired or becomes subsurface runoff.

The Hydrologic Cycle

PERCOLATION
Percolation is the movement of water though the soil, and it's layers, by gravity and capillary forces. The prime moving force of groundwater is gravity. Water that is in the zone of aeration where air exists is called vadose water. Water that is in the zone of saturation is called groundwater. For all practical purposes, all groundwater originates as surface water. Once underground, the water is moved by gravity. The boundary that separates the vadose and the saturation zones is called the water table. Usually the direction of water movement is changed from downward and a horizontal component to the movement is added that is based on the geologic boundary conditions.

 Geologic formations in the earth's crust serve as natural subterranean reservoirs for storing water. Others can also serve as conduits for the movement of water. Essentially, all groundwater is in motion. Some of it, however, moves extremely slowly. A geologic formation which transmits water from one location to another in sufficient quantity for economic development is called an aquifer. The movement of water is possible because of the voids or pores in the geologic formations. Some formations conduct water back to the ground surface. A spring is a place where the water table reaches the ground surface. Stream channels can be in contact with an unconfined aquifer that approaches the ground surface. Water may move from the ground into the stream, or vice versa, depending on the relative water level. Groundwater discharges into a stream forms the base flow of the stream during dry periods, especially during droughts. An influent stream supplies water to an aquifer while and effluent stream receives water from the aquifer.
The Hydrologic Cycle

The Hydrologic Cycle

TRANSPIRATION
Transpiration is the biological process that occurs mostly in the day. Water inside of plants is transferred from the plant to the atmosphere as water vapor through numerous individual leave openings. Plants transpire to move nutrients to the upper portion of the plants and to cool the leaves exposed to the sun. Leaves undergoing rapid transpiration can be significantly cooler than the surrounding air. Transpiration is greatly affected by the species of plants that are in the soil and it is strongly affected by the amount of light to which the plants are exposed. Water can be transpired freely by plants until a water deficit develops in the plant and it water-releasing cells (stomata) begin to close. Transpiration then continues at a must slower rate. Only a small portion of the water that plants absorb are retained in the plants.

The Hydrologic Cycle

RUNOFF
Runoff is flow from a drainage basin or watershed that appears in surface streams. It generally consists of the flow that is unaffected by artificial diversions, storages or other works that society might have on or in a stream channel. The flow is made up partly of precipitation that falls directly on the stream , surface runoff that flows over the land surface and through channels, subsurface runoff that infiltrates the surface soils and moves laterally towards the stream, and groundwater runoff from deep percolation through the soil horizons. Part of the subsurface flow enters the stream quickly, while the remaining portion may take a longer period before joining the water in the stream. When each of the component flows enter the stream, they form the total runoff. The total runoff in the stream channels is called stream flow and it is generally regarded as direct runoff or base flow.

The Hydrologic Cycle

STORAGE
There are three basic locations of water storage that occur in the planetary water cycle. Water is stored in the atmosphere; water is stored on the surface of the earth, and water stored in the ground. Water stored in the atmosphere can be moved relatively quickly from one part of the planet to another part of the planet. The type of storage that occurs on the land surface and under the ground largely depend on the geologic features related to the types of soil and the types of rocks present at the storage locations. Storage occurs as surface storage in oceans, lakes, reservoirs, and glaciers; underground storage occurs in the soil, in aquifers, and in the crevices of rock formations.

The Hydrologic Cycle

The movement of water through the eight other major physical processes of the water cycle can be erratic. On average, water the atmosphere is renewed every 16 days. Soil moisture is replaced about every year. Globally, waters in wetlands are replaced about every 5 years while the residence time of lake water is about 17 years. In areas of low development by society, groundwater renewal can exceed 1,400 years. The uneven distribution and movement of water over time, and the spatial distribution of water in both geographic and geologic areas, can cause extreme phenomena such as floods and droughts to occur.

by: Dave Bellesa 2012

Prepared by: Patrick John Carballo

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Off stream use In stream use

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Off stream use In stream use

Off stream use

Commercial Use

Domestic Use

Industrial

Irrigation

Livestock

Off stream use

Commercial Use

Domestic Use

Industrial

Irrigation

Livestock

Off stream use

includes fresh water for motels, hotels, restaurants, office buildings, other commercial facilities, and civilian and military institutions.

Off stream use

Commercial Use

Domestic Use

Industrial

Irrigation

Livestock

Off stream use

probably the most important daily use of water for most people. It includes water that is used in homes every day, including water for normal household purposes, such as drinking, food preparation, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, flushing toilets, and watering lawns and gardens.

Off stream use

Commercial Use

Domestic Use

Industrial

Irrigation

Livestock

Off stream use

valuable resource to the nation's industries for such purposes as processing, cleaning, transportation, dilution, and cooling in manufacturing facilities. Major water-using industries include steel, chemical, paper, and petroleum refining. Industries often reuse the same water over and over for more than one purpose.

Off stream use

Commercial Use

Domestic Use

Industrial

Irrigation

Livestock

Off stream use

water artificially applied to farm, orchard, pasture, and horticultural crops, as well as water used to irrigate pastures, for frost and freeze protection, chemical application, crop cooling, harvesting, and for the leaching of salts from the crop root zone. Nonagricultural activities include self-supplied water to irrigate public and private golf courses, parks, nurseries, turf farms, cemeteries, and other landscape irrigation uses.

Off stream use

Commercial Use

Domestic Use

Industrial

Irrigation

Livestock

Off stream use

includes water for stock animals, feed lots, dairies, fish farms, and other nonfarm needs. Water is needed for the production of red meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and wool, and for horses, rabbits, and pets. Livestock water use only includes fresh water.

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Off stream use In stream use

In stream use

Recreation

Fish and Wildlife

Navigation

Power Generation

In stream use

Recreation

Fish and Wildlife

Navigation

Power Generation

In stream use
Tourism, sport and leisure, as the broad recreation industry, has developed into the largest industry worldwide and this industry utilizes water as an integral part of its activities.

In stream use

Recreation

Fish and Wildlife

Navigation

Power Generation

In stream use
the availability of water in our rivers and streams and flowing into our bays and estuaries is also essential to the survival of fish and wildlife species and the healthy ecosystems that support them.

In stream use

Recreation

Fish and Wildlife

Navigation

Power Generation

In stream use
connecting banks of a river or connecting ports of a sea, by means of ferry or cruise or ship. It will be a part of the navigation as there will be no other means of travel other than through water.

In stream use

Recreation

Fish and Wildlife

Navigation

Power Generation

In stream use
Thermoelectric Power water use is the amount of water used in the production of electric power generated with heat. The source of the heat may be from fossil fuels, nuclear fission, or geothermal. Fossil fuel power plants typically reuse water. They generate electricity by turning a turbine using steam power. After the steam is used to turn the turbines, it is condensed back to water by cooling it. The condensed water is then routed back to the boiler, where the cycle begins again.

Point-source pollution

Nonpoint-source pollution

NONPOINT SOURCES

Rural homes

Urban streets

Cropland Animal feedlot Suburban development POINT SOURCES

Factory

Wastewater treatment plant

SOURCES: Trash from human consumption, such as water bottles, plastics and other waste products.

SOURCES: Plant nutrients which deplete the dissolved oxygen and produce disagreeable odors, exotic organic chemicals, petroleum specifically from oil spills, inorganic minerals and chemical compounds, radioactive substances etc.

SOURCES: toxic chemicals, pesticides from farming, etc.

Hazardous waste injection well Pesticides Coal strip mine runoff De-icing road salt Pumping well Waste lagoon Gasoline station Water pumping well Landfill Buried gasoline and solvent tank Cesspool septic tank Sewer Leakage from faulty casing Discharge Confined aquifer Groundwater flow

Accidental spills

SOURCES: Wastewaters and fertilizers.

algae and weeds

SOURCES: Microorganisms such as: Bacteria Viruses Protozoa

SOURCES: Biodegradable substances and toxic chemicals are often suspended in water.

SOURCES: metals and solvents from industrial work ; pesticides are used in farming to control weeds, insects and fungi; petroleum and other products(e.g. oil , detergents, etc.)

by: Patrick John Carballo 2012

Issues of Water Management

Prepared by: Edward Arangale

Issues of Water Management

Accessibility

Photo from greenprophet.com

Issues of Water Management

Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water. Millions of women spending several hours a day collecting water. Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%.

Issues of Water Management

Luxury vs. Necessity

Photo from killercoke.org

Issues of Water Management

(INDIA)-The documentarys look at Coca Cola (Coke for short) companys activities in India highlighted problems also seen around the world. Because Coke had been pumping water from local wells and aquifers, this led to farmers digging deeper and deeper to search for water, sometimes under dangerous conditions.

Issues of Water Management

1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometer, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 liters per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 liters of water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.)

Issues of Water Management

Cost:

If you live in a slum in Manila, you pay more for your water than people living in London. That is the conclusion of a report from the United Nations Human Development Programme.

Issues of Water Management

Privatization:

Privatization in both rich and poor countries can mean many cannot access safe water.

Issues of Water Management

Effects:
2.6 billion people lack basic sanitation Some 1.8 million children die each year as a result of diarrhea 443 million school days are lost each year from water-related illness

Water: A Human Right or a Commodity?

Issues of Water Management

Issues of Water Management

Impacts to the Environment

We use water for a variety of purposes from agricultural, domestic and industrial uses. This has involved activities that alter surrounding ecosystems, such as drainage, diversion of water for irrigation, industrial and domestic use, contaminating water with excess nutrient run-off (e.g. from fertilizers) and industrial waste, building damns, etc.

Issues of Water Management

Between 56% and 65% of inland water systems suitable for use in intensive agriculture in Europe and North America had been drained by 1985. The respective figures for Asia and South America were 27% and 6%. 73% of marshes in northern Greece have been drained since 1930. 60% of the original wetland area of Spain has been lost.

Issues of Water Management

The Mesopotamian marshes of Iraq lost more than 90% of their original extent between the 1970s and 2002, following a massive and systematic drainage project. Following the fall of the former Iraqi regime in 2003 many drainage structures have been dismantled, and the marshes were reflooded to approximately 58% of their former extent by the end of 2006, with a significant recovery of marsh vegetation.

Issues of Water Management

More than 40% of the global river discharge is now intercepted by large dams and one-third of sediment destined for the coastal zones no longer arrives. These largescale disruptions have had a major impact on fish migration, freshwater biodiversity more generally and the services it provides. They also have a significant influence on biodiversity in terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems.

by: Edward Arangale 2012

MANAGE. CONSERVE. UNITE.

References:
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/glossary.htm http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wateruse.html http://www.globalissues.org Solley, W. B., Pierce, R. R., and Perlman, H. A. "Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 1995." U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1200 (1998).