WfHC - cover page (not to be used with pre-printed report ... - CSIRO

Potential Energy- the stored energy from the position or configuration of a body or mass in space.
Pseudokarst- karst-like landform features (caves, sinkholes, etc) formed in non-carbonate rocks (e.g.
ferricrete, silcrete) by mechanical erosion such as piping (in contrast to true karst which results from
chemical weathering by dissolution of carbonate rocks).
Quaternary- geologic age noting or pertaining to the present period of earth history, forming the latter
part of the Cenozoic Era, originating about 2 million years ago and including the Recent and
Pleistocene Epochs.
Regolith- the layer or mantle of loose unconsolidated material covering the bedrock of the earth
comprising soil, sand, rock fragments, volcanic ash, glacial drift, etc.
Remote Sensing- collection of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical
contact, such as with using sensors on satellites to detect and classify objects on Earth. See MODIS.
Rill erosion- the development of numerous closely spaced streamlets (less than about 30 mm deep)
in soil or soft rock by concentrated flowing water. It is an intermediate process between erosion by
overland flow and gully erosion.
Riparian Vegetation- plants growing along river banks and on floodplains that take advantage of
subsurface ground water, baseflow and floodwater for enhanced growing conditions.
Sand Splay- a low ridge of sand to fine gravel deposited on a flood plain during flood, often outside
meander bends or downstream of obstacles like trees.
Sandstone- a sedimentary rock consisting of sand, usually quartz, cemented together by various
substances, as silica, calcium carbonate, iron oxide, or clay.
Scour- the erosive force of moving water by removing debris.
Secchi Disk/Depth- a circular disk used to measure water transparency in water. The depth at which
the pattern on the disk is no longer visible is taken as a measure of the transparency or turbidity of the
water.
Sediment Transport Efficiency- the degree to which river sediment (gravel, sand, silt, clay) is moved
down river through the effective utilization of the available stream power and energy.
Sedimentary- formed by the deposition of sediment, as with certain rocks.
Sheet erosion- the transport of loosened soil particles by surface runoff that is flowing downhill in thin
sheets.
Silcrete- silica-rich duricrust, an indurated, or hardened, layer in or on a soil. It generally occurs in a
hot, arid climate where infrequent waterlogging causes silica to dissolve and be redeposited to cement
soil grains together. Silcrete is extremely hard and resistant to weathering and erosion.
Silica- Silicon combine with oxygen, SiO2, occurring especially as quartz sand, flint, and agate:
Silurian- geologic age from 425 to 405 million years ago, notable for the advent of air-breathing
animals and terrestrial plants.
Sinuosity- degree of bend, twist, or intricacy (as in river course)
Sodic Soil- a soil containing high levels of sodium (element) compared to other elements like calcium
or magnesium. Sodic alkaline soils have high levels of Sodium Carbonate, whereas sodic saline soils
have excess Sodium Chloride.
Sodium- a soft, silver-white, metallic element that oxidizes rapidly in moist air, occurring in
nature only in the combined state.
Solutes- chemical elements or compounds dissolved in water or solution.
Splash erosion- soil erosion caused by the splash of falling raindrops or other water on soil.
Spring- any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground. A spring
is a site where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface.
SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission)- a mission of the USA Space Shuttle that collected
topographic elevational data of the Earth surface using radar from space in 2000.
Working Knowledge at Oriners Station, Cape York
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