Edjohndel B.

Castro BSCE-4

Homework No. 1 CE 42F

1. Define the principal components of the hydrologic cycle. Describe how drainage, irrigation, soil
erosion, bioconversion, bioremediation, climate change each relates to the hydrologic cycle.

Answer:

The principal components of the hydrologic cycle are:

a.) Evaporation - occurs when the physical state of water is changed from a liquid state to a
gaseous state.
b.) Condensation - is the process by which water vapor changes its physical state from a vapor,
most commonly, to a liquid.
c.) Precipitation - is the process that occurs when any and all forms of water particles fall from the
atmosphere and reach the ground.
d.) Interception - is the process of interrupting the movement of water in the chain of
transportation events leading to streams.
e.) Infiltration - is the physical process involving movement of water through the boundary area
where the atmosphere interfaces with the soil.
f.) Percolation - is the movement of water though the soil, and its layers, by gravity and capillary
forces.
g.) Transpiration - is the biological process that occurs mostly in the day where water inside of
plants is transferred from the plant to the atmosphere as water vapor through numerous
individual leave openings.
h.) Run off - is flow from a drainage basin or watershed that appears in surface streams. It
generally consists of the flow that is unaffected by artificial diversions, storages or other works
that society might have on or in a stream channel.
i.) Storage - There are three basic locations of water storage that occur in the planetary water
cycle. Water is stored in the atmosphere; water is stored on the surface of the earth, and water
stored in the ground.

Drainage, irrigation, soil erosion, bioconversion, bioremediation, climate change each relates to the
hydrologic cycle by:

a.) Drainage – Constructing drainage networks increase runoff volumes and shorten runoff time
into streams from rainfall and snowmelt. As a result, the peak discharge, volume, and
frequency of floods increase in nearby streams.
b.) Irrigation – Irrigation alters the hydrologic cycle and causes changes in water supply by
affecting evaporation and runoff. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory scientists found in
areas that extensively rely on irrigation, surface water or groundwater supply might wither and
will be more vulnerable to drought.
c.) Soil Erosion – Soil Erosion relates to the hydrologic cycle along with the movement of runoff.
Erosion is the process by which earth is worn away by liquid water, wind, or ice. The process
of erosion and the movement of runoff create varied landscapes across the Earth's surface.
d.) Bioconversion – Bioconversion or biotransformation is a process by which organic compounds
are transformed from one form to another to reduce the persistence and toxicity of the
chemical compounds.
e.) Bioremediation – Bioremediation relates to hydrologic cycle as it is a naturally occurring process
where very small living organisms called microbes, clean up contaminated soil, groundwater
and surface. Bioremediation stimulates the growth of certain microbes that use contaminants
as a source of food and energy.
f.) Climate Change - Climate change intensifies the hydrologic cycle because as air temperatures
increase, more water evaporates into the air. Warmer air can hold more water vapour, which
Edjohndel B. Castro BSCE-4

can lead to more intense rainstorms, causing major problems like extreme flooding in coastal
communities around the world.

2. Describe your views on conserving trees versus the desirability of maintaining a viable forest
products industry. Discuss in the light of current changes in the land use trends.

Answer:

I am fully aware that forests are essential for the survival of mankind. Forests help in purifying the
atmosphere, aid in climate control, and act as natural watershed. While it is true that our forests
should be conserved, the demand for forest products such as wood for example, are greater in the
future considering the growing populations, and unavoidable uncertainties attaching to future
needs and values.

Which is why I strongly believe that conservation of trees should be observed while still maintaining
the forest products industry however, in order for such industry to be viable, they should observe
sustainable development.

The concept of sustainable development can be summed up as having a number of operational

implications for forestry projects (derived mainly from Winpenny 1991):

a.) Avoid damage to critical natural capital, and be wary of starting processes that are irreversible;
b.) where the resource can be maintained, limit exploitation to sustainable levels; where it is to be
run down (e.g., to release land for agriculture), set aside and invest enough of the proceeds
to produce a permanent income stream or alternative sources of supply of forest products for
those who depend upon the forest;
c.) where possible, put economic values on social environmental costs and benefits, so that they
are taken into account in decisions; and
d.) ensure to the fullest extent possible that impacts normally treated as externalities are
internalized within the design of a project-e.g., by including compensatory measures where
necessary, such as planting trees to maintain forest outputs lost.

References:

https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/info/water_cycle/hydrology.cgi - on Hydrologic Cycle definitions

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/surface-runoff-and-water-
cycle?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects – on drainage
https://phys.org/news/2015-11-irrigation-drought-vulnerability-regions.html - on irrigation
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hydrologic-cycle/ - on soil erosion
https://medcraveonline.com/JBMOA/JBMOA-04-00085.php - on bioconversion
https://www.mycaf.com/blog/post/how-does-bioremediation-work - on bioremediation
https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/climate-change-impacting-water-cycle - on climate
change
https://www.indiacelebrating.com/essay/forest-essay/ - on importance of forests
http://www.fao.org/3/t1081e/t1081e03.htm - on the demand for forest products & sustainable
development