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.
Water is everywhere, from the snowpack in the mountains to the tap in our kitchens. But while we often think about rainfall and snow as the main drivers of our water supply, it turns out that something we rarely see has just ...
Phosphorus is crucial for crop growth. But too little can lower crop yields, and too much can lead to pollution downstream. Studies show that some soils are losing phosphorus, while others are accumulating and leaking into ...
Ecology
Jan 26, 2026
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Wildfires are devastating events that destroy forests, burn homes and force people to leave their communities. They also have a profound impact on local ecosystems. But there is another problem that has been largely overlooked ...
In recent weeks, powerful atmospheric river storms have swept across Washington, Oregon and California, unloading enormous amounts of rain. As rivers surged, they overtopped or breached multiple levees—those long, often unnoticed ...
Environment
Dec 30, 2025
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What if, instead of taking a water or soil sample to the lab, you could take the lab to the sample? That's what a team of researchers reporting in ACS Sensors did with a new nitrate-monitoring "lab-on-a-drone" system. The ...
Environment
Dec 17, 2025
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What can mapped drainage systems on Mars teach scientists about the red planet's watery past? This is what a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences hopes to address as a team of scientists ...
Planetary Sciences
Dec 6, 2025
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100
For Jude Kastens, who grew up on a farm in northwest Kansas, rainfall was always serious business. Although flooding wasn't as big a problem in his hometown as in central and eastern Kansas, it was "always memorable" when ...
Environment
Nov 18, 2025
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When it comes to adapting cities to a rapidly and dramatically changing climate, the garden is on the frontline of the fight. Gardens act as green sinkholes, allowing excess rainwater to escape, as well as helping to cool ...
Environment
Nov 17, 2025
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Wetlands are an important part of the ecological system, providing a myriad of benefits for people, wildlife, and the environment. They also serve as "nature's kidneys," filtering out pollutants from surface water. A new ...
Environment
Oct 28, 2025
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50
A new method for predicting how rainfall contributes to river flow across the entire US has been developed by an international team of scientists.
Environment
Oct 14, 2025
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