Interflow
Encyclopedia
In hydrology
, interflow is the lateral movement of water
that occurs in the upper part of the unsaturated zone, or vadose zone
, that directly enters a stream channel or other body of water without having occurred first as surface runoff
(as with throughflow).
Interflow could be described as a 'semi-deep' flow as it is above the regions where baseflow
takes place. Interflow is slower than throughflow
but faster than groundwater
flow.
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
, interflow is the lateral movement of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
that occurs in the upper part of the unsaturated zone, or vadose zone
Vadose zone
The vadose zone, also termed the unsaturated zone, is the portion of Earth between the land surface and the top of the phreatic zone i.e. the position at which the groundwater is at atmospheric pressure . Hence the vadose zone extends from the top of the ground surface to the water table...
, that directly enters a stream channel or other body of water without having occurred first as surface runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
(as with throughflow).
Interflow could be described as a 'semi-deep' flow as it is above the regions where baseflow
Baseflow
Baseflow is the portion of streamflow that comes from "the sum of deep subsurface flow and delayed shallow subsurface flow"...
takes place. Interflow is slower than throughflow
Throughflow
In hydrology, throughflow is the horizontal movement of water in the soil zone. This type of flow must first emerge on land before it enters a body of surface water to be considered throughflow...
but faster than groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
flow.