Surface water hydrology is the study of water bodies on the surface of the Earth. It deals with the movement, distribution, and quality of surface water which includes both the saltwater in oceans and the freshwater in rivers, lakes, streams, etc. Hydrologists utilize tools like stream gauges, remote sensing, and hydrological models to measure and predict water flow and quality. They study how precipitation, evaporation, and runoff affect water bodies. The study of surface water hydrology is crucial to prevent floods and ensure a reliable water supply for agriculture, industry, and communities. Like groundwater, we need to develop sustainable practices to protect the surface water which is also an important part of the water cycle.
1. What is the term for the boundary that separates two adjacent drainage basins?
(A) Watershed
(B) Divide
(C) Floodplain
(D) Tributary
2. What is the primary process by which rivers and streams erode their channels?
(A) Sedimentation
(B) Deposition
(C) Abrasion
(D) Infiltration
3. What is the term for the area of land where all precipitation collects and drains into a common outlet?
(A) Aquifer
(B) Watershed
(C) Delta
(D) Estuary
4. What is a floodplain?
(A) A flat area on the side of a mountain
(B) The dry area between two streams
(C) The area adjacent to a river that is subject to flooding
(D) The upper part of a river’s course
5. What is the term for a stream that only flows during certain times of the year?
(A) Perennial stream
(B) Intermittent stream
(C) Ephemeral stream
(D) Braided stream
6. What is the main cause of surface runoff?
(A) Groundwater discharge
(B) Precipitation exceeding the infiltration capacity of the soil
(C) Evapotranspiration
(D) Sediment deposition
7. What is a hydrograph?
(A) A map of groundwater levels
(B) A chart showing the variation in river discharge over time
(C) A diagram of sediment transport in a river
(D) A profile of river depth along its course
8. Which process is responsible for the formation of an oxbow lake?
(A) Volcanic activity
(B) River meandering and cutoff
(C) Glacial erosion
(D) Groundwater seepage
9. What is the term for the volume of water flowing in a river per unit of time?
(A) Stream gradient
(B) River discharge
(C) Flow velocity
(D) Load
10. What is the primary factor that determines the velocity of a river?
(A) Water temperature
(B) Channel width
(C) Stream gradient
(D) Sediment load
11. What is the term for the point where a river meets a larger body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake?
(A) Source
(B) Delta
(C) Mouth
(D) Tributary
12. Which of the following is a common indicator of healthy drainage basins?
(A) High levels of pollution
(B) Increased urban runoff
(C) Biodiversity and clean water
(D) High rates of deforestation
13. What is the main purpose of a dam on a river?
(A) To prevent fish migration
(B) To decrease the sediment load
(C) To control water flow and store water
(D) To increase river velocity
14. What is the primary cause of a river’s sediment load?
(A) Atmospheric pressure
(B) Wind erosion
(C) Water erosion and transport
(D) Glacial melting
15. What is the term for a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one?
(A) Watershed
(B) Floodplain
(C) Tributary
(D) Divide
