River Network and Groundwater

14 important questions on River Network and Groundwater

What four steps involves end-member mixing analysis (EMMA)?

1. Identifying two or more streamflow sources (end members).
2.  Characterizing the unique chemical or isotopic characteristics of each end member.
3. Measuring the concentrations of those characteristic components in streamflow.
4. Using mathematical analysis to determine the proportion of each end member present.

What are four assumptions when using end-member mixing analysis (EMMA)?

1. End-members are constant.

2. All sources are taken into account.
3. The stream is well mixed.
4. End-members have to be sufficiently different from
each other.

What does water do in places with high drainage density?


Water has to travel shorter distances to reach the stream (from being rainfall).
  • Higher grades + faster learning
  • Never study anything twice
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Discover Study Smart

What is an intermittent stream?

A stream that falls dry in dry sesason.

What is event flow / direct flow / storm flow / quick flow?

Water that enters streams promptly in response to individual water-input events (rain or snow melt).

What is base flow?

Water that enters from persistent, slowly varying (long residence-time) sources and maintains stream flow between water-input events.

What is a gaining (or effluent) reach?

A stream that occurs in a discharge area and receives groundwater flow.

What is a seepage face?

The boundary between a saturated flow field and the atmosphere or between a saturated flow flied and a stream channel where water is free to exit from the subsurface.

What is a losing (or influent) reach?

A stream in which discharge decreases downstream (perched above water table).

How much can the stream network vary?


Within an individual catchment, the density of actively flowing streams can vary by up to an order of magnitude seasonally or during rainstorms.

Where do we expect flowing streams?


Flowing streams exist wherever the supplied discharge from upstream (Q) exceeds the transport capacity of permeable sediment and bedrock underneath the stream channel.

What is hyporheic flow?

The exchange of stream water and groundwater that occurs in the stream bed.

What are confining layers?

The bounding aquitards.

What is potentiometric surface?

An imaginary surface analogous to the water table.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

  • A unique study and practice tool
  • Never study anything twice again
  • Get the grades you hope for
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.
Trustpilot Logo