INTRODUCTION

Streamflow is the sum of all climatological and topographical forces operating in a

drainage basin. It is the only part of the hydrological cycle where water is contained in well-
defined channels, allowing precise measurements of the quantities involved. Other
hydrological cycle observations are point observations for which estimating the errors on an
area basis is difficult, if not impossible (Herschy, 2007). Streamflow is a measurement of
how fast water moves through rivers and streams, and it is a valuable resource for both
people and the environment. Changes in streamflow can have a direct impact on the amount
of water available for irrigating crops, generating electricity, and other purposes.

Furthermore, streamflow is important for the habitat and survival of many plants and
animals. The amount of streamflow is essential because extremely high flows can create
erosion and flood damage, while extremely low flows can degrade water quality, harm fish,
and restrict the amount of water available for people use (EPA, 2016). Streamflow fluctuates
from day to day, and sometimes even minute to minute. The most significant influence on
streamflow is precipitation runoff in the watershed or drainage. Rain causes the water to rise,
and it can rise even if it just rains very far up in the watershed or drainage. Flow is
determined by the volume and velocity of water. It is significant because its impact on water
quality (EPA, 2012).

The amount of runoff that travels over the ground's surface to reach a stream channel
and then through the channel to the basin outlet is known as surface runoff or overland
runoff. The amount of runoff that goes beneath the earth to reach a stream channel and,
eventually, the basin outlet is referred to as subsurface runoff. When rainfall is heavy or
continuous, or both, the network of stream channels in a particular catchment may be unable
to convey the excess surface runoff within the prescribed parts of these channels, causing
them to overflow and produce flooding (Shahin, 2007). A hydrograph is a graph representing
streamflow (discharge) against time at any point along a stream channel. The runoff volume
is equal to the excessive rainfall from a precipitation storm over a drainage area causes an
equivalent volume increase in the flow of the receiving stream, as shown by the area under
the hydrograph.
REFERENCES

EPA. (2012). What is stream flow and why is it important? Retrieved from
https://archive.epa.gov/water/archive/web/html/vms51.html

EPA. (2016). Streamflow. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators

Herschy, R. W. (2007). Streamflow Measurement (2nd ed.). Madison, New York: Taylor &
Francis Group

Shahin, M. (2007). Water Resources and Hydrometeorology of the Arab Region, vol 59.
Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-5414-9_6