What happens to the rain?

✍ Scribed by B. A. Keen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 966 KB
• Volume: 65
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0035-9009
• DOI: 10.1002/qj.49706528002

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

An annual rainfall of 30 in. means that 3,000 tons of water fall on an acre of land. In the course of the year this all disappears, by run‐off, evaporation, transpiration through vegetation, and by downward percolation. The relative importance of these factors in British and overseas conditions is discussed. Many of the traditional beliefs among farmers and gardeners were based on a theory of water movement that was attractively simple to understand—but incorrect. It is only in recent years that the true picture of the movement of water in the soil has been built up. In consequence, some of the traditional practices need revision, while others now have a different explanation. The new work has also clarified some of the concepts used in hydrology.