Ruun 22: Xa-Vek Sha-Ven — Hydrology
"Rivers are the blood vessels of the planet. They carry life from the mountains to the oceans and back, in the clouds. To stop a river is to stop the heart of Théxar." — Book of the Cycle, Xha'Ruun
Ruun-ak rass: → rhu [Ruun 14, "Xa-Vek Ak"], → rhu [Ruun 13, "The-Xar-Ak"], → rhu [Ruun 21, "Xa-The Xa-Vokh Mor-Ven"] Mor-ven: River network ~244 000 mo (12 major). Fresh water 2.8% hydrosphere, groundwater and glaciers. Largest river Khar-Tor 870 mo, largest lake Mor-Ven 1 768 mo² / 756 sha. Groundwater 70.5 k mo³. Annual ocean discharge 42 k mo³.
22.1 River Systems
22.1.1 Largest Rivers (12 major)
Kharak continent carries ~7.7% basin via Khar-Tor.
22.1.2 Khar-Tor River — Largest on Planet
| Shan | Ven |
|---|---|
| Source | Khar-Tor glaciers, 7 560 sha |
| Mouth | Serrin Sea |
| Basin | ~7.7% Kharak |
| Length | 870 mo |
Regime:
- Recharge: glacial 45% + rain 40% + groundwater 15%
- High water (high-water season): 69 000 sha³/s
- Low water (low-water season): 11 300 sha³/s
- Solid runoff: ~194 bln kh/y (volcanic ash)
Economy:
- Irrigation 49 600 mo²
- HEP cascade (6 stations, 48 power units)
- Navigable 427 mo from mouth
22.1.3 Thar River — Sacred River
First proto-Kharite settlements (→ EV-0001). Capital Khar-Vexar in delta.
22.2 Lakes
22.2.1 Largest Lakes
| Lake | Continent | Area (mo²) | Depth (sha) | Type | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mor-Ven | Kharak | 1 768 | 756 | Tectonic | Largest, freshwater |
| Thal-Koss | Rhuval | 1 173 | 463 | Volcanic | Hot springs |
| Ven-Shar | Vexar | 913 | 585 | Glacial | Cryptoendoliths |
| Khal-Ven | Kharak | 768 | 354 | Residual | Saline 7% |
| Rhu-Mor | Rhuval | 587 | 256 | Floodplain | Biodiversity |
| Shan-Ur | Kharak | 487 | 104 | Crater | Meteorite |
| Thex-Mor | Vexar | 347 | 671 | Glacial | Deep glacial lake |
| Gharra-Ven | Khal-Tor isl. | 198 | 220 | Volcanic | Caldera |
22.2.2 Lake Mor-Ven — Largest on Planet
| Shan | Ven |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 768 mo² |
| Avg depth | 390 sha |
| Max depth | 756 sha |
| Volume | ≈69 mo³ |
| Transparency | 14.6 sha (Secchi) |
| pH | 7.4 |
Endemism: 45% fish species endemic.
22.3 Groundwater
Total reserves ~70.5 k mo³:
| Type | Volume (k mo³) | Share | Age | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soil water (active) | 23.5 | 33% | 1–10 000 y | Drinking, irrigation |
| Artesian | 30.2 | 43% | 10 000–100 000 y | Industry |
| Deep (relict) | 16.8 | 24% | >1 M cycle | Geothermal, mineral |
22.4 Hydrological Cycle
Hydrological cycle of Théxar
- Atmosphere
101 mo³
Water vapor: 0.5–2.0%
- Surface water
1 510 mo³
Rivers + lakes
- Groundwater
70.5 thousand mo³
| Process | Value |
|---|---|
| Evaporation | 56 pa/y |
| Precipitation | 102 pa/y |
| Runoff | 36 pa/y |
| Infiltration | 22 pa/y |
| Oceans — via rivers | 42 thousand mo³/year |
Atmosphere exchanges water with the surface; surface water connects with groundwater and the oceans. Evaporation and precipitation are opposing processes.
Ruun Ven
- River network ~244 000 mo, 12 major systems.
- Khar-Tor 870 mo — largest river (basin 7.7% Kharak).
- Mor-Ven 1 768 mo² / 756 sha — largest lake (45% fish endemism).
- Groundwater 70.5 k mo³ .
- Annual ocean discharge 42 k mo³.
- Thar River — sacred, first settlements, capital Khar-Vexar.
Rass-Ven (CANON):
- River network ~244 000 mo, 12 major ✓
- Khar-Tor 870 mo largest ✓
- Mor-Ven 1 768 mo², 756 sha ✓
- Groundwater 70.5 k mo³ ✓
- Ocean discharge 42 k mo³/y ✓
- Fresh water 2.8% hydrosphere ✓