Runoff, in the context of environmental and Earth system topics, refers to the portion of precipitation, snowmelt, or irrigation water that does not infiltrate into the soil or evaporate but instead flows over the land surface or through shallow subsurface pathways to streams, rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. It is a central component of the hydrological cycle, governed by factors such as soil permeability, land cover, topography, antecedent moisture, and rainfall intensity. Runoff mediates fluxes of sediments, nutrients, pollutants, and dissolved organic and inorganic constituents, strongly influencing watershed biogeochemistry, aquatic ecosystem function, flood regimes, and water resource availability.
As future shifts in climate lead to more rain and less snow in the western United States, new research finds that water will move faster through a landscape, likely leading to negative impacts on summer water levels and water ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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A new study by University of Hawai'i at Mānoa researchers revealed that Waikīkī is facing a fundamental shift in flood hazards as sea levels rise—transitioning from a flooding that is driven primarily by rainfall to events ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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After months of relentlessly miserable weather for most of the UK, spring brings renewed enthusiasm for spending time outdoors hiking, wild swimming, paddling, or on walks.
Environment
Apr 10, 2026
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As large floods occur more frequently worldwide, many wonder what led to such devastating events. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, improper land management and forest removal increase flood frequencies and ...
Environment
Apr 9, 2026
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It's a well-established fact that forests and water are deeply connected. For decades, paired-watershed experiments—a scientific method for evaluating land-use impacts on water quantity or quality—have shown that when we ...
Environment
Apr 4, 2026
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Imagine a dump truck dropping 13 tons of dirt into the waters of Brush Creek, a waterway that feeds northwest Arkansas' primary drinking water source, Beaver Lake. That's how much soil and sediment researchers measured going ...
Environment
Apr 3, 2026
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The Pacific Northwest has seen below-normal snow this season—and new research from Portland State University suggests that the region's snowmelt-dependent water resources could face growing challenges in the years ahead as ...
Environment
Apr 2, 2026
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In recent years, the Prairies have seen bigger swings in climate conditions—very wet years followed by very dry ones. That makes an already unpredictable landscape even harder to forecast, with real consequences for flood ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 30, 2026
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Urban stormwater ponds provide important habitats for birds, including both resident and migrating species, according to research led by the University of Toronto. For the study, researchers placed audio recorders at 16 stormwater ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 24, 2026
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10
Flooding, drought, and the loss of soil and nutrients are well-known challenges in agricultural catchments. Climate change is making these problems more pronounced. More intense rainfall leads to more runoff and erosion in ...
Environment
Mar 24, 2026
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