Chapter 5 1.

Lowest point to which a stream can erode

Running Water and Groundwater 2. Two general types
a. Ultimate
Running Water and Groundwater opens with an b. Temporary, or local
examination of the hydrologic cycle and the exchange of 3. Changing causes readjustment of the stream—
water between the oceans, atmosphere, and land. The deposition or erosion
discussion of running water includes an investigation of D. The work of streams
drainage basins, river systems, and the factors that 1. Erosion
control streamflow. Erosion and transportation of 2. Transportation
sediment are presented, including erosional and a. Transported material is called the stream's load
depositional features of narrow and wide valleys. 1. Types of load
Running water concludes with a look at flooding and a. Dissolved load
flood control measures. b. Suspended load
After an examination of the importance, occurrence, c. Bed load
and movement of groundwater, springs, geysers, wells, 2. Determinants of load
and artesian wells are investigated. Following a review a. Competence
of some of the environmental problems associated with 1. Maximum particle size
groundwater, the chapter ends with a look at the 2. Determined by velocity
formation and features of caves and karst topography. b. Capacity
I. Earth as a system: the hydrologic cycle 1. Maximum load
A. Illustrates the circulation of Earth's water supply 2. Related to discharge
B. Processes involved in the cycle 3. Deposition
1. Precipitation a. Caused by a decrease in velocity
2. Evaporation 1. Competence is reduced
3. Infiltration 2. Sediment begins to drop out
4. Runoff b. Stream sediments
5. Transpiration 1. Called alluvium
C. Cycle is balanced 2. Well-sorted deposits
c. Features produced by deposition
II. Running water 1. Deltas
A. Streamflow a. Exist in oceans or lakes
1. Factors that determine velocity b. Distributaries often form in the channel
a. Gradient, or slope 2. Natural levees
b. Channel characteristics a. Form parallel to the stream channel
1. Shape b. Area behind the levees may contain
2. Size 1. Back swamps
3. Roughness 2. Yazoo tributaries
c. Discharge E. Stream valleys
1. Valley sides are shaped by
B. Upstream–downstream changes a. Weathering
1. Profile b. Overland flow
a. Cross-sectional view of a stream c. Mass wasting
b. From head (source) to mouth 2. Characteristics of narrow valleys
1. Profile is a smooth curve a. V-shaped
2. Gradient decreases from the head to the mouth b. Downcutting toward base level
2. Factors that increase downstream c. Features often include
a. Velocity 1. Rapids
b. Discharge 2. Waterfalls
c. Channel size 3. Characteristics of wide valleys
3. Factors that decrease downstream a. Stream is near base level
a. Gradient, or slope 1. Downward erosion is less dominant
b. Channel roughnes 2. Stream energy is directed from side to side
C. Base level b. Floodplain
 c. Features often include 1. Springs
1. Meanders a. Hot springs
2. Cutoffs 1. Water is 6–9ºC warmer than the mean air
3. Oxbow lakes temperature of the locality
F. Floods and flood control 2. Heated by cooling of igneous rock
1. Floods are the most common geologic hazard b. Geysers
2. Causes of floods 1. Intermittent hot springs
a. Weather 2. Water turns to steam and erupts
b. Human interference with the stream system 2. Wells
3. Flood control a. Pumping can cause a drawdown (lowering) of
a. Engineering efforts the water table
1. Artificial levees b. Pumping can form a cone of depression in the
2. Flood-control dams water table
3. Channelization 3. Artesian wells
b. Nonstructural approach through sound a. Water in the well rises higher than the initial
floodplain management groundwater level
G. Drainage basins and patterns b. Types of artesian wells
1. A divide separates drainage basins 1. Nonflowing
2. Types of drainage patterns 2. Flowing
a. Dendritic E. Environmental problems associated with
b. Radial groundwater
c. Rectangular 1. Treating it as a nonrenewable resource
d. Trellis 2. Land subsidence caused by its withdrawal
3. Contamination
III. Water beneath the surface (groundwater) F. Geologic work of groundwater
A. Largest freshwater reservoir for humans 1. Groundwater is often mildly acidic
B. Geological roles a. Contains weak carbonic acid
1. An erosional agent—dissolution by groundwater b. Dissolves calcite in limestone
produces 2. Caverns
a. Sinkholes a. Formed by dissolution of rock beneath Earth's
b. Caverns surface
2. An equalizer of streamflow b. Formed in the zone of saturation
C. Distribution and movement of groundwater c. Features found within caverns
1. Distribution of groundwater 1. Form in the zone of aeration
a. Belt of soil moisture 2. Composed of dripstone
b. Zone of aeration a. Calcite deposited as dripping water evaporates
1. Unsaturated zone b. Common features
2. Pore spaces in the material are filled mainly with air 1. Stalactites hanging from the ceiling
c. Zone of saturation 2. Stalagmites developing on the cave floor
1. All pore spaces in the material are filled with water 3. Karst topography
2. Water within the pores is groundwater a. Formed by dissolution of rock at, or near,
d. Water table—the upper limit of the zone of Earth's surface
saturation b. Common features
2. Movement of groundwater 1. Sinkholes
a. Porosity a. Surface depressions
1. Percentage of pore spaces b. Formed by
2. Determines how much groundwater can be stored 1. Dissolution of bedrock
b. Permeability 2. Cavern collapse
1. Ability to transmit water through connected pore 2. Caves and caverns
spaces c. Area lacks good surface drainage
2. Aquitard—an impermeable layer of material
3. Aquifer—a permeable layer of material D. Features
associated with groundwater