In catchment water balance terminology, the initial basin recharge is equal to which combination of early storm abstractions?

Introduction / Context:
At the beginning of a storm, a portion of rainfall is abstracted before it contributes to surface runoff. Understanding these initial abstractions is essential for hydrograph separation and rainfall–runoff modeling.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Definitions of interception, depression storage, and infiltration to satisfy soil moisture deficit.
• Focus is on what constitutes initial basin recharge or initial abstraction.

Concept / Approach:
Initial basin recharge accounts for water that first replenishes storage compartments such as vegetation surfaces and depressions, and restores the soil profile up to field capacity, before runoff begins.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Interception: rainfall retained on vegetation and surfaces that later evaporates.Depression storage: water held in microtopographic hollows that must be filled prior to runoff.Infiltration to satisfy antecedent soil moisture deficit: initial infiltration used to restore near-surface storage.Summing these components represents the initial basin recharge or initial abstraction before runoff starts.

Verification / Alternative check:
Hydrologic models like SCS-CN explicitly account for initial abstraction as a combination of such storages prior to runoff generation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Single-component choices ignore other equally important abstractions.

Common Pitfalls:

• Confusing continuing losses (infiltration after runoff starts) with initial abstractions.

Final Answer:
All of the above (interception + depression storage + initial infiltration to satisfy moisture deficit)