River & Watershed Terms, Ecosystems and Water Management
River & Watershed Terms, Ecosystems and Water Management
Hydrological terms
Head of a river: Upper course of a river, usually characterized by a steep profile.
Flow: The amount of water passing a point per unit of time (usually measured in cubic metres per second).
Watershed: Land whose waters drain into a main river and its tributaries.
Low water: The minimum flow of a river, stream, or lake and the period in which it occurs.
Estuary: The mouth of a river flowing into the sea where freshwater and seawater mix; often widens in the direction of the flow.
Hydrographic network: A system formed by a river, its tributaries and the watercourses of the latter.
Fluvial: Pertaining to rivers; also used to describe seasonal fluctuations in a river's flow.
Torrente: An intermittent stream that carries water mainly after rainfall.
Forests, landscapes and protected areas
Deciduous forest: An area dominated by trees that shed their leaves seasonally.
Evergreen forest: An area dominated by trees that retain their leaves year‑round.
Dehesa: A sparsely wooded area of mixed agricultural and livestock use, typical of parts of the Iberian Peninsula.
Natural park: A protected area that allows controlled use and exploitation of resources.
National park: A protected area designated at national level, prioritizing conservation over other uses.
Water management and measurement
Sustainable development: An economic model that uses natural resources wisely, ensuring regeneration and environmental protection.
Renewable energy: Energy sources that are clean and effectively inexhaustible (for example, solar, wind and hydro).
River diversion: The transfer of water from one river or basin to another.
Water balance: The accounting of available water resources compared with the uses and withdrawals made of them.
Hydrograph: A graph representing the hydrological regime, i.e., the evolution of average monthly flow.
Bush, garriga and steppe vegetation
The bush: Not a climax or potential vegetation community; it is the result of forest degradation caused by humans. It presents three features:
- "The bush": A dense shrub formation more than two metres high.
- La garriga: Consists of low shrubs and bushes, leaving bare spots where rocks appear.
- "The steppe": Found in the semiarid southeast of the peninsula, where drought hinders tree growth and in areas degraded by human activity.
