SATURATED/SURFACE WATER INTERFACE
Saturated/Surface Water Interface - accounts for a series of processes that can move water from the surface directly into the saturated storage and back.
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SATURATED/SURFACE WATER INTERFACE
Saturated/Surface Water Interface - accounts for a series of processes that can move water from the surface directly into the saturated storage and back.
Back to diagram
E-mail to Alexey Voinov
|
The direct flux of water from the surface into the saturated storage is
assumed to take care of the situation when all the soil is saturated but
some water is drained by horizontal flows or by transpiration. In this case,
if there is surface water present, it will immediately replenish the
saturated tank. The vertical processes are generally faster than the
horizontal flow therefore once some pores in the saturated storage become
vacant water from the surface will probably make every attempt to refill
them. Only after the surface water is removed the unsaturated layer will
start to appear.
The reverse flow from saturated storage to the surface occurs every time
elevation goes below the water table. This is the flow that feeds the
rivers and streams at baseflow. Whenever the saturated layer of ground water
hits the surface, moisture starts to seep out. This is clearly seen
on steep river banks, cliffs, ravines.