How do river levels rise in feet so quickly when we only get a couple inches of rain?
In: Physics
Imagine a glass so chock full of water that simple extra drop of water will make it flood to the table.
You add that drop. Does water spill to the table only that extra, unneeded drop? No. Entire top layer will flow off. Or multiple drops of water worth, at least.
Replace glass with a lake, underground reservoir, multiple pools and puddles – rain drops everywhere – and a single drop by inches of rainfall – and you get a chain effect.
Also, water dampens and softens the soil and moves rocks. If a puddle is being held by piece soil or rock and it’s suddenly removed by rain, like the cork in the bathtub, entire puddle will drain.
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