RIVERS : Water Budgets

Every drainage basin has inputs and outputs of water. It is possible to measure these
and using a simple equation work out the water budget for the basin

Runoff = precipitation - evaporation + changes in storage

The river flow out of a drainage basin depends upon three main factors:
1. The amount of precipitation
2. The losses by evaporation or evapotranspiration
3. The gains or losses from the storage areas: surface storage, soil moisture and
groundwater stores.

Water budget Model

Using climate, soil moisture and channel flow data, with estimates of
evapotranspiration, it is possible to construct a water budget graph or model. This
model allows us to see the processes at work in the basin and to compare basins
within a country or between countries.

Study the figure below: water budgets for Birmingham and Athens.
1. Describe the Precipitation pattern for the year in Birmingham & Athens
2. Describe the evapotranspiration changes for the year in Birmingham and
Athens.
3. Compare and contrast the two models. Can you explain the differences?

Water surplus

Water
deficiency

Soil moisture
recharge

Soil moisture use

1. Identify the soil moisture conditions in these periods of the year:

July to November AND December to March [2]
2. Suggest why these two different soil moisture conditions occur. [4]
3. Explain what is meant by the process of soil moisture utilization (April to June).
[2]