Water budget

Definition

A water budget is a hydrological tool used to quantify the flow of water in and out of a system. In
other words, it is an accounting of all water stored and exchanged on the land surface (rivers, lakes),
subsurface (aquifer, groundwater), and atmosphere (precipitation, evaporation).

The concept behind a water budget is that the rate of change of water stored in an area is balanced
by the quantity and rate at which water flows into and out of that area. This concept is used by
hydrological engineers to form the basis of effective water-resource sustainability, management, and
environmental planning.

The water budget can be expressed in several ways. The United States Geological Survey (USGS)
defines the water budget for a small watershed as:

P + Qin = ET + ∆S + Qout

Where:

P = precipitation (rain, snow, etc.)

Qin = water flow into the watershed

ET = quantity of evapotranspiration from soils, surface-water, plants, etc.

∆S = Change in water storage

Qout = sum of water flowing out of the watershed

While other forms of the water budget equation exist, they all follow the same basic concept.

Water budgets provide a means for evaluating availability and sustainability of a water supply. A
water budget simply states that the rate of change in water stored in an area, such as a watershed
(watershed is an area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet such as the
outflow of a reservoir, mouth of a bay, or any point along a stream channel), is balanced by the rate
at which water flows into and out of the area.

Water budgets could highlight the challenges of river basin management, illustrating when flooding
or drought are likely to occur and when irrigation would be necessary.

The varied annual water balance under different climatic conditions leads to varied river regimes
(typical fluctuations of flow of a river). The variation in the flow of a river usually over a year is known
as the river regime. Some rivers have very simple regimes and demonstrate a clear difference
between one peak and one low. Such regimes may be found in areas with monsoon climates
(characterised by a dramatic seasonal change in direction of the prevailing winds of a region which
brings a marked change in rainfall). Others are complex with multiple peaks and lows reflecting
differences in relief in parts of the drainage basin or the existence of large tributaries. The discharge
of the river changes over the year in response to water availability caused by climate or human
interaction. Some rivers may dry up completely during severe water deficit. Others respond with
fluctuating water levels. During the dry months rivers may become choked with deposited material
which they can no longer transport.