Water Balance of Berkeley, California and Terre Haute, Indiana

Abstract

This paper discovers the water budget for Berkeley, California in comparison to Terre Haute, Indiana. The two cities precipitation differs throughout the twelve month calendar year where many of the heavy precipitation months are totally opposite. Berkeley California’s winters, where the majority of rain occurs and Terre Haute, Indiana where the rainfall is observed as consistently disseminated throughout the year evenly. This paper will also magnify geographic position, climate and elevation in contrast of the two cities that reflects the water budget outlined in Project 1: Water Balance defined in (figure1) and (figure 2).

Water Balance of Berkeley, California, and Terre Haute, Indiana
According to (figure 1) and (figure 2) of Project 1: Water Balance charts, precipitation varies between the two cities distinctly. The city of Berkeley, California averages around 61.6 centimeters or 24.25 inches of rainfall yearly; while Terre Haute, Indiana receives 101.3 centimeters or 39.9 inches of precipitation yearly. Terre Haute matches Berkeley California yearly precipitation exactly mid-summer in the month of June; making the difference in rainfall between the two cities, 39.7 centimeters or 15.6 inches, almost a quarter of Berkeley annual rainfall. Climate

Conferring to Western Regional Climate Center, www.wrcc.dri.edu (2013) Berkeley’s months of December through February are disrupted with rain. Snow is uncommon in Berkeley; however periodically crowns of hills at upper elevations may receive shallow accumulation of snow. Autumn and Spring collect with various precipitation and flexible temperatures. Cool summers occur in Berkeley, California where there is a Mediterranean climate, with arid summers and damp winters. Hotter month’s being June through July tends to be chillier than common climates known to the Mediterranean. Supplementary of cool currents aside the California coast assists manufacturing chilly and fogged hours of darkness and sunrises.

According to weatherbase.com (2014) Terre Haute, Indiana Climate is considered a humid climate with high temperatures compared to Berkeley and regularly disseminated precipitation throughout the year. U.S. Climate Normals 1971-2000, defines the warmest month out of the year in Terre Haute is generally July. Snow is estimated having an accumulation of 12.1 centimeters yearly with most occurring in January. Location and Geographic position

Terre Haute is positioned in the Midwestern state of Indiana. The Wabash River makes up the majority of the city, developing its western perimeter. Terre Haute is located just shy of five hundred feet above sea level at 39°28′11″N 87°23′23″W in conjunction with the east panel of the river known as the Wabash in western portion of Indiana. Most of the city of Berkeley assembles on hilly plains that upsurge gradually from sea level to the bottom of the Berkeley Hills. According to Western Regional Climate Center, www.wrcc.dri.edu (2013) Berkeley, California is found at 37°52′18″N 122°16′29″W (37.871775, −122.274603). The city of Berkeley sits at three hundred twenty feet above sea level and bounders the city of Albany and Oakland just east of the Pacific Ocean which brings in cool currents. Deficit Comparison

Comparing the two cities, a deficit will only occur when the soil has no moisture; actual storage (ST) is equal to zero. Terre Haute does not see a deficit until its hottest summer month of July. The deficit continues on average for ninety days July through September; August receiving the highest deficit which is also the warmest month for Terre Haute. Majority of rainfall occurs March to June for the city of Terre Haute. Berkeley recognizes a deficit June through October with the highest being in July of 8.7 centimeters. This deficit last longer than compared to Terre Haute totally up to 150 days. This is 60 days more than in comparison to the two. We know that rainfall occurs for this city in winter months January totally the highest amounts. Surplus

Surplus will occur at field capacity greater than 10 centimeters and soil is holding its maximum capacity of moisture. Both cities share similarities in months were a surplus for the water budgets occurs. Terre Haute surplus months happen during January through April; whereas Berkeley’s surplus occurs January through March just thirty days shy of Terre Haute. January happens to be the month where Berkeley totals the most precipitation at 13.0 centimeters or 5.1 inches. This is also where surplus is the greatest annually summing up to 10.4 centimeters. Primarily an abundance of rainfall for the city takes place in winter months. March is Terre Haute highest surplus month at 7.8 centimeters; but does not total up to be the month where significant rainfall ensues the highest. The month of June accrues the most precipitation yearly for the city in the mid-western region of the United States. In the mid-west the rainfall is generally well spread out typical of a mid-latitude continental climate. Terre Haute displays this example well with the lowest rainfall seeing 6.8 during the year. Terre spends a quarter of the year in surplus. Conclusion

In order to compel a comprehensive understanding of the difference of the two cities annual precipitation, you must understand how their location, geography and elevation all pay apart. The charts in figure 1 and figure 2 examine where one region has typically more rainfall then another. You can see where surplus and deficits occur in each. Each differ in two parts of the region of the United States making these factors play apart in rainfall

References
Hess, Darrel. McKnight’s Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation; illustrated bu Dennis Tasa, 11th Ed.
Soil Water Balance. (1996, January 1). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/maidment/gishyd97/library/wbtexas/sect4.htm US Climate Normals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://hurricane.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgibin/climatenormals/climatenormals.pl?directive= prod_select&subrnum=