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catchment area
catchment area or drainage basin, area drained by a stream or other body of water. The limits of a given catchment area are the heights of land—often called drainage divides, or watersheds—separating it from neighboring drainage systems. The amount of water reaching the river, reservoir, or lake from its catchment area depends on the size of the area, the amount of precipitation, and the loss through evaporation (determined by temperature, winds, and other factors and varying with the season) and through absorption by the earth or by vegetation; absorption is greater when the soil or rock is permeable than when it is impermeable. A permeable layer over an impermeable layer may act as a natural reservoir, supplying the river or lake in very dry seasons. The catchment area is one of the primary considerations in the planning of a reservoir for water-supply purposes. |
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"catchment area." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "catchment area." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-catchmen.html "catchment area." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-catchmen.html |
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catchment
catchment The area from which a surface watercourse or a groundwater system derives its water. Catchments are separated by divides. A surface catchment area may overlie an aquifer system, but may be unconnected with the aquifer rock itself if there are intervening impermeable aquicludes. In US usage a catchment is often termed a ‘watershed’; in Britain the term ‘drainage basin’ is commonly used.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "catchment." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "catchment." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-catchment.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "catchment." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-catchment.html |
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catchment
catchment The area from which a surface watercourse or a groundwater system derives its water. Catchments are separated by divides. A surface catchment area may overlie an aquifer system, but may be unconnected with the aquifer rock itself if there are intervening impermeable aquicludes. In US usage, a catchment is often termed a ‘watershed’.
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Cite this article
AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "catchment." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "catchment." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-catchment.html AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "catchment." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-catchment.html |
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catchment area
catchment area (kach-mĕnt) n. the geographic area from which a hospital can expect to receive patients and on which (in Britain) the designated population of the hospital is based.
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"catchment area." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "catchment area." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-catchmentarea.html "catchment area." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-catchmentarea.html |
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catchment
catch·ment / ˈkachmənt; ˈkech-/ • n. the action of collecting water, esp. the collection of rainfall over a natural drainage area. |
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"catchment." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "catchment." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-catchment.html "catchment." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-catchment.html |
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