Vocab words

4. Basin: Another term for a watershed; the area of land that channels rainfall and snowmelt to a common water body.
5. Any form of water (rain, snow, sleet, or hail) that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the Earth's surface.
8. The volume of water flowing through a stream at a given place and time, or the release of substances into surface waters.
10. The portion of precipitation that flows over the land surface rather than soaking into the ground, eventually entering water bodies.
11. Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers.
17. The process by which water vapor in the air cools and changes into liquid water drops, forming clouds.
20. The process by which liquid water absorbs energy and changes into a gas (water vapor).

1. The portion of stream flow contributed by groundwater sources.
2. Surface: A surface that does not allow water to penetrate or soak in (e.g., asphalt, concrete, rooftops).
3. The source or beginning point(s) of a river, stream, or creek.
6. Zone: The interface or area of land and vegetation bordering a stream or river, which helps filter pollutants and provides habitat.
7. The wearing away of rock and soil due to water, wind, ice, or other physical forces.
9. The movement of water from the earth's surface into the soil or rock layers below.
12. The flat, broad section of land that borders a river and is often inundated with water during times of extremely high flow.
13. Source Pollution: Contaminants coming from multiple, diffuse sources, such as runoff over a lawn or farm field.
14. A coastal inlet or bay where the fresh water of a river mixes with the salty water of the ocean.
15. A smaller stream or river that flows into a larger stream, lake, or river
16. An underground layer of permeable rock, gravel, or sand that can store a large quantity of water.
18. Source Pollution: An environmental contaminant that can be traced back to one specific, identifiable location or source (e.g., a pipe discharging into a river).
19. (Drainage Divide): A geographical barrier, such as a ridge, hill, or mountain, that separates one watershed or drainage basin from another.