POTENTIAL NATURAL WATER LOSS

The water loss during years when the annual precipitation greatly exceeds the average water loss. It represents the approximate upper limit of water loss from the type and density of vegetation native to a basin, under conditions of actual moisture supply and other basin characteristics, in contrast to Potential Evapotranspiration which represents a hypothetical condition where there is no deficiency of water in the soil for use by the type and density of vegetation that would develop.