Runoff Encyclopedia Article

Runoff

The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.

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The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.

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Runoff

The amount of rainfall or snowmelt that either flows over the soil surface or that drains from the soil and enters a body of water, thereby leaving a watershed. This water is the excess amount of precipitation that is not held in the soil nor is it evaporated or transpired back to the atmosphere. Water that reaches deep groundwater and does not, therefore, directly flow into a surface body of water is usually not considered runoff. Runoff can follow many pathways on its journey to streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Water that primarily flows over the soil surface is surface runoff. It travels more quickly to bodies of water than water that flows through the soil, called subsurface flow. As a rule, the greater the proportion of surface to subsurface flow, the greater the chance of flooding. Likewise, the greater the amount of surface runoff, the greater the potential for soil erosion.

See Also

Storm Runoff