It is the discipline that is specifically responsible for the study of the distribution of groundwater and continental waters and their properties. Knowing what hydrology is represents an extensive and long-standing topic of water analysis, as well as the humidity that comes from the ground, precipitation, glacial masses, evapotranspiration and runoff. The definition of this term is associated with several branches which are: meteorology, oceanography, pathology, cryology, surface hydrology, among others.
What is Hydrology
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The concept of hydrology is understood to be the science that is exclusively responsible for investigating the spatio-temporal distribution and characteristics of groundwater and continental waters. Within this extensive and great topic of water study, rainfall, runoff (which is a sheet of water that passes through a drainage basin), moisture that comes from the soil, evapotranspiration (it is the moisture loss suffered by a surface and is linked to the transpiration of vegetation) and glacial masses.
The displacements of the volumes of water on the planet are responsible for shaping the earth's crust, as demonstrated in the geographical cycle. This influence is exposed with the objective of the distribution of the concentrations of coherent and crumbly rocks, of the alterations that have affected them, and that are essential in the definition of the different reliefs.
We must remember that a river is a water course that runs through a channel from the mountains (highlands) to the lowlands and reaches the sea, or a collector river or a tributary.
The rivers are distributed in networks. A hydrographic basin is the entire area that discharges its runoff water into a single river, waters that require the particularities of feeding the soils. On the other hand, a drainage basin is the area of the earth's surface that is drained by a unitary fluvial mechanism. Its circuit is determined by the interfluvium or dividing line.
The paths of the hydrographic elements are defined by the adaptation or maladjustment to the tectonic and lithological distributions, but also the geological distribution acts in the management of the hydrographic networks, fixing their evolution and distribution.
The definition of hydrology indicates that the study of this science begins with the morphometric explorations of the basin, which includes: the demarcation of the basin, the maximum and minimum height, the examination of length and area, capacity index, hypsometric curve, shape factor, average slope, the altimetric profile of the main channel and the characterization of the drainage network.
What does Hydrology study
Specifically, what hydrology studies are waters, and everything that refers to it, such as: where it comes from, the way it is distributed, the way it travels, the chemical, mechanical and physical properties that water has, both in the oceans and on the earth's surface and atmosphere.
On the other hand, this science is also dedicated to the study of all the volumes of water on earth such as seas, coasts and currents, all this is what hydrology studies.
Difference between Hydrology and Hydrography
There is a lot of difference between hydrology and hydrography. On the one hand, hydrography is responsible for the description and study of all bodies of water on earth. This discipline analyzes, collects and presents data related to the ocean floor, seas, coasts and currents.
For its part, hydrology is responsible for the study of the water in the atmosphere, soil moisture, rainfall, evaporation, and in general terms it is responsible for the study of the functioning of water on the planet.
History of Hydrology
Hydrology is a science that has been studied since 4000 BC, when the Nile River was created to optimize agriculture and land that was infertile. The aqueducts created by the Romans and the ancient Greeks, and also built in China, were made to control irrigation and flooding. The Sinhalese used hydrology to build irrigation works and created valves to make dams, reservoirs and canals.
The first to describe the hydrological cycle was Marcus Vitruvius, who claimed that rainfall enters the earth's surface causing currents in the lowlands.
The leading researchers in hydrology in the modern era were Edme Mariotte, Pierre Perrault, and Edmund Halley. The hydrology of groundwater developed in the 19th century.
By the 20th century, governments had their own study programs. The study of this since the 1950s has had a more theoretical foundation, thanks to the evolution in the physics of hydrological systems, the implementation of computers and information mechanisms, essentially geographical.
Periods of Hydrology
In general, the different authors recognize that there are 8 periods of hydrology during its historical development, which are the following:
Speculative period
It had its cycle from ancient times to the 1400s. During all this time the concept of the hydrological cycle was speculated by various philosophers. For the most part, the definitions developed in this era turned out to be wrong, except for the one given by Marco Vitruvius, who proposed that groundwater was the result of infiltration of rainwater and melting of snow.
Observation period
In the time known as the Renaissance, between the years 1400 and 1600, there was a progressive change from the concept of hydrology to the observational discipline of that period.
Measurement period
The beginning of this as a modern discipline can be estimated in the seventeenth century, with measurements, for example: those made in the Seine river in Paris and in the Mediterranean Sea, which its researchers reached the exact conclusion of the hydrological phenomenon studied.
Experimentation period
During the eighteenth century, between the years 1700 and 1800, experimental hydraulic research had a great advance and as a result of this several hydraulic principles were obtained, for example: the chezy formula, the bernouilli theorem and piezometer, the tubes of pitot, among others.
Modernization period
The nineteenth century was one of the great periods of experimental hydrology that had its beginning in the preceding period, marking more firmly the beginning of this science. His greatest contribution was obtained through geohydrology and hydrometry.
Period of empiricism
Despite the fact that many modern hydrology work began in the 19th century, the evolution of quantitative hydrology was still immature, becoming a totally empirical science.
Rationalization period
In this cycle, the great hydrologicals are created that use rational analysis to solve the hydrological problems raised. Another advance in this period was the installation of a large number of hydrological and hydraulic laboratories in the world.
Theorizing period
In this period the theories have extensive use in hydrological problems, because many proposed rational principles could be subject to a true mathematical study.
Branches of Hydrology
Hydrology is closely linked with other branches or sciences which are:
Meteorology and hydrometeorology
Meteorology and hydrometeorology are both a science, in charge of the study of atmospheric phenomena, such as rain, wind or drastic changes in temperature, the properties of the atmosphere and mainly the relationship with the weather and the surface of the seas. and earth.
Meteorology and hydrometeorology pay special attention to the surface conditions of urbanized areas, where the consequences of strong storms have caused human and material losses.
Oceanography
Oceanography is one of the branches of geography that studies lakes, rivers, oceans, seas and any other area of the aquatic world on earth, investigating everything associated with it, from the physical, geological, biological and chemical processes that are originates in the seas and oceans. Oceanography also it is called in different ways as Oceanology, science sea and marine sciences.
Surface hydrology
Surface hydrology is the branch that is responsible for the analysis of continental waters. Surface hydrology at the same time is divided into:
- Agricultural hydrology.
- Forest hydrology.
- Urban hydrology.
- Hydrology of arid and semi-arid regions.
- Wetlands hydrology.
- Flood or flood control hydrology.
Limnology
Limnology is a branch of ecology that studies everything related to continental aquatic ecosystems, in other words, those aquatic ecosystems located on continents, limnology only includes rivers, lagoons, lakes, marshes, ponds and estuaries, leaving even side the non-continental ones, for example the oceans and seas.
"> Loading…Potamology
Potamology is the science that will be responsible for the analysis of everything that rivers are concerned with, such as their flow, their tributaries, their current and the importance of these. Potamology is an interdisciplinary branch of geology.
Hydrogeology
Hydrogeology is a branch of geology, which studies groundwater with respect to its circulation, its catchment and geological conditioning. The definition of hydrogeology indicates that this science is specifically responsible for the formation and origin of groundwater, its diffusion, reservoir form, regime, movement and reserves, its state (solid, liquid and gaseous) its interrelation with rocks and soils and their physical, bacteriological, chemical and radioactive properties
Cryology
Cryology is the branch of hydrology that is responsible for the study of the characterization of ice and snow masses. Cryology explores all phenomena related to low temperatures.
Classification of Hydrology
It is classified into four types:
Qualitative hydrology
Determine the causes and forms that produce the formation of sandbanks in rivers.
Hydrometric hydrology
It focuses on the calculation of hydrological variables.
Quantitative hydrology
Study the temporal distribution of water resources in a specific hydrographic basin.
Real time hydrology
It transmits data through sensors, located in a basin in real time, to a central to analyze them immediately and make operational decisions, such as closing or opening gates of a specific hydraulic work.
