KARST, also KARSTIC REGION — Limestone and dolomite areas with a topography peculiar to and dependent on underground solution and the diversion of surface waters to underground routes. Characteristic of an area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns.

KARST HYDROLOGY — The branch of Hydrology that deals with the hydrology of geological formations having large underground passages or fractures which enable underground movement of large quantities of water.

KARST TOPOGRAPHY — The structure of land surface resulting from limestone, dolomite, gypsum beds, and other rocks formed by dissolution and characterized by closed depressions, sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage.

KARSTIC RIVER — A river which originates from a karstic spring or flows in a Karstic Region.

KILOGRAM — The base unit of mass in the International System of Units that is equal to the mass of a prototype agreed upon by international convention and that is nearly equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters of water at the temperature of its maximum density. Also see Metric System.

KILOWATT (KW) — The electrical unit of power which equals 1,000 watts or 1.341 horsepower. Since one watt equals one Joule per second, a kilowatt equals 1,000 joules per second. The Kilowatt-Hour (KWH) is the basic unit of electric energy. It equals 1 kilowatt of power applied for 1 hour.

KILOWATT-HOUR (KWH) — A unit of electrical energy equal to 1,000 watt-hours or a power demand of 1,000 watts for one hour. The equivalent of 3,600,000 Joules. Power company utility rates are typically expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour.

KINEMATIC VISCOSITY — The ratio of dynamic viscosity to mass density. It is obtained by dividing dynamic viscosity by the fluid density. Units of kinematic viscosity are square meters per second.