Hydrology - Lesson 1

CIEN 3212
ENGR. REN
is the study of the distribution and movement of water both on and
below the Earth’s surface, as well as the impact of human activity
on water availability and conditions.
 Water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, involves a series of stages
that show the continuous movement and interchange of water between its
three phases – solid, liquid, and gas, in the earth’s atmosphere. The sun
acts as the primary source of energy that powers the water cycle on
earth. Bernard Palissy discovered the modern theory of the water cycle in
1580 CE.
 The heat of the sun causes water from the surface of water bodies such as
oceans, streams, and lakes to evaporate into water vapor in the
atmosphere. Plants also contribute to the water cycle when water gets
evaporated from the aerial parts of the plant, such as leaves and stems by
the process of transpiration.
 Due to dry winds, low humidity, and low air pressure, snow present on the
mountains change directly into water vapor, bypassing the liquid phase by
a process known as sublimation.
 The invisible water vapor formed through evaporation, transpiration, and
sublimation rises through the atmosphere, while cool air rushes to take its
place. This is the process of condensation that allows water vapor to
transform back into liquid, which is then stored in the form of clouds.
 Sometimes, a sudden drop in atmospheric temperature helps the water
vapors to condense into tiny droplets of water that remain suspended in
the air. These suspended water droplets get mixed with bits of dust in the
air, resulting in fog.
 Wind movements cause the water-laden clouds to collide and fall back on
the earth’s surface through precipitation, simply known as rain. The water
that evaporated in the first stage thus returns into different water bodies
on the earth’s surface, including the ocean, rivers, ponds, and lakes. In
regions with extremely cold climate with sub-zero temperatures, the water
vapor changes directly into frost and snow bypassing the liquid phase,
causing snowfall in high altitudes by a process known as the deposition.
 The water that falls back on the earth’s surface moves between the layers
of soil and rocks and is accumulated as the underground water reserves
known as aquifers. This process is further assisted by earthquakes, which
help the underground water to reach the mantle of the earth. Some amount
of precipitated water flows down the sides of mountains and hills to reach
the water bodies, which again evaporates into the atmosphere. During
volcanic eruptions, the underground water returns to the surface of the
earth, where it mixes with the surface water bodies in order to continue
the cycle.
The most crucial and direct impacts of the above process on earth include:
 Making fresh water available to plants and animals, including humans, by

purifying the groundwater on earth. During the water cycle, the water
evaporates, leaving behind all the sediments and other dust particles.
Similarly, for the sustenance of marine life, the saline range of all salt
water bodies is kept within a certain permissible limit through infiltration.
 Allowing even distribution of water on all surfaces of the earth. Water is
temporarily stored as clouds in the atmosphere, whereas surface water
bodies such as rivers and oceans, together with underground water, form
the major permanent water reserves.
The most crucial and direct impacts of the above process on earth include:
 Causing a cooling effect on earth due to evaporation of water from surface

water bodies, which help to form clouds that eventually precipitate down in
the form of rain. This way water cycle affects the weather and climate of
the earth.
 Ensuring some other biogeochemical cycles, including those concerning
oxygen and phosphorus, to continue in nature.
 Cleaning the atmosphere by taking-away dust particles, shoot, and
bacteria, thus acting as a means to purify the air we breathe.
Human activities adversely affect the water cycle in the two following ways:
a) Deforestation: Plants play an important role in the water cycle by

preventing soil erosion and thus helps to increase the groundwater level of
the earth. Also, plants contribute by absorbing water from the soil, which is
then released back to the atmosphere during transpiration. Deforestation
adversely affects both the above processes, thus breaking the flow of the
water cycle.
Human activities adversely affect the water cycle in the two following ways:
b) Pollution: Burning of fossil fuels acts as the major source of air pollution
releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere, leading to the formation of smog
and acid rain. Water from farmlands run off to the nearest water bodies
carrying chemicals such as insecticides and pesticides along with them, thus
causing water pollution. The presence of excessive contaminants in the
atmosphere and water bodies decreases the evaporation and condensation
on earth, thus adversely affecting the water cycle.
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CIEN 3212

 Making fresh water available to plants and animals, including humans, by

 Causing a cooling effect on earth due to evaporation of water from surface

a) Deforestation: Plants play an important role in the water cycle by

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