Perennial stream

A perennial stream or perennial river is a stream or river that has continuous flow in parts of its
stream bed all year round during years of normal rainfall. Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A perennial stream or perennial river is a stream or river (channel) that has continuous flow in

parts of its stream bed all year round during years of normal rainfall. [1] "Perennial" streams are
contrasted with "intermittent" streams which normally cease flowing for weeks or months each
year, and with "ephemeral" channels that flow only for hours or days following rainfall. During
unusually dry years, a normally perennial stream may cease flowing, becoming intermittent for days,
weeks, or months depending on severity of the drought. The boundaries between perennial,
intermittent, and ephemeral channels are not defined, and subject to a variety of identification
methods adopted by local governments, academics, and others with a need to classify stream-flow
permanence.

Intermittent streams - have flowing water periods during the wet season (winter-spring) but are normally
dry during hot summer months. Intermittent streams do not have continuous flowing water year-round and
are not "relatively permanent waters."

Intermittent Stream
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intermittent stream A stream which ceases to flow in very dry periods. The flow
may occur when the water-table is seasonally high, but there will not be flow when
the water-table is significantly below the river-channel bed level. One view of the
drainage network (see drainage pattern) is that it is made up of perennial streams,
which flow all the time, intermittent streams, which flow when the water-table is
seasonally high, and ephemeral streams, which flow only during storm conditions.
Such streams tend to have permeable beds and discharge leaking through their beds
(transmission losses) is added to the local groundwater. (reference: Oxford)
Ephemeral streams - have less flow than intermittent streams, are typically shallow,
and have flowing water for brief periods in response to rainfall. Ephemeral streams and
ditches are normally dry for most of the year. Most of the inland ditches and streams
within the greater Houston area have the flow characteristics of  an ephemeral stream.
Since 2011, rainfall has been below normal and this has caused many local streams
and ditches to exhibit well-defined ephemeral characteristics.
(reference : Wetlands Professional Services)

Ephemeral Stream
Ephemeral streams are features that carry “only stormwater in direct
response to precipitation with water flowing only during and shortly
after large precipitation events.
From: Wetland and Stream Rapid Assessments, 2018

2011 NUCFAC & Davey Resource Group Chapter 3 Streams

Perennial Streams
Water flows in these streams throughout the year. The primary water source can be from ground water,
surface water, or a combination of both.

Intermittent Streams
Intermittent streams flow for part or most of the year but may carry no water during the dry season.

Ephemeral Streams
These streams flow only for a short time, usually after a large storm or snowmelt when there is an
increase in water runoff. Ephemeral streams are very small and normally have a dry channel during the
year.

Year-round streams (perennial) typically have water flowing in them year-round. Most of the water
comes from smaller upstream waters or groundwater while runoff from rainfall or other precipitation is
supplemental.

Seasonal streams (intermittent) flow during certain times of the year when smaller upstream waters are
flowing and when groundwater provides enough water for stream flow. Runoff from rainfall or other
precipitation supplements the flow of seasonal stream. During dry periods, seasonal streams may not
have flowing surface water. Larger seasonal streams are more common in dry areas.

Rain-dependent streams (ephemeral) flow only after precipitation. Runoff from rainfall is the primary
source of water for these streams. Like seasonal streams, they can be found anywhere but are most
prevalent in arid areas.