Water and Wastewater Terms Beginning S

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

surface runoff

(1) The precipitation that cannot be absorbed by the soil and flows across the surface by gravity. (2) The water that reaches a stream by traveling over the soil surface or falls directly into the stream channels, including not only the large permanent streams but also the tiny rills and rivulets. (3) Water that remains after infiltration, interception, and surface storage have been deducted from total precipitation.