Water Glossary

5. Area of land where rainfall/precipitation flows to a lower elevation, such as a river, lake or ocean; also referred to as a drainage basin
6. Process whereby the suspended droplets in the atmosphere fall as rain, hail, sleet or snow
7. Moisture lost to the atmosphere from open water bodies
8. Short-term changes in atmospheric conditions
11. Balancing social, economic and environmental needs for current and future generations
12. Replenished in a relatively short period of time
13. chart Weather map showing atmospheric conditions at a certain place at a certain time. Used to predict short term weather

1. Water stored beneath the Earth’s surface
2. rainfall When winds push moist air over mountains, condensation and precipitation occur on the windward side
3. Rocks and sediments that contain groundwater
4. resources Resources occurring natural within environments: atmosphere (air), lithosphere (land, soil and minerals), hydrosphere (rivers and oceans) and biosphere (plants and animals)
9. basin Groundwater confined and pressurised within an aquifer
10. Continuous movement of water on Earth
12. When some precipitation remains in the surface and feeds into streams, rivers, wetlands and lakes
14. Long-term record of atmospheric conditions, such as precipitation and temperature