Surface Water

Water is continually moving around, through, and above the Earth. It moves as water vapor, liquid water, and ice. It is constantly changing its form. Water on Earth is known by different terms, depending on where it is and where it came from.  

• Meteoric water - is water in circulation
• Connate water - "fossil" water, often saline. 
• Juvenile water - water that comes from the interior of the earth. 
• Surface water - water in rivers, lakes, oceans and so on. 
• Subsurface water - Groundwater, connate water, soil, capillary water 
• Groundwater - exists in the zone of saturation, and may be fresh or saline.

The movement of water is referred to as the global water cycle (hydrologic cycle). Precipitation, evaporation/transpiration, and runoff (surface runoff and subsurface infiltration) are the primary phases in the hydrologic cycle. The global water budget is based on the recycling (movement, storage, and transfer) of the Earth’s water supply.

The direct process by which water changes from a liquid state to a vapor state is called evaporation. In transpiration, water passes from liquid to vapor through plant metabolism. Plants are classified as hydrophytes, phreatophytes, mesophytes, or xerophytes. Hydrophytes take their nutrients directly from the water. Mesophytes are plants that grow under well-balanced moisture supplies. Xerophytes are plants that are adapted to dry conditions. Phreatophytes are long rooted plants that absorb water from the water table or directly above it. Golden tamarisk and mesquite are phreatophytes.

Source: http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/hydr/concepts/surfhyd/srfwtr.htm