Hydrology

Question 1

What is a Alluvial fan and what regions are they most common in

Answer 1

A fan shaped deposit of sediment lay down by a stream at the foot of a slope such as a mountain, canyon, or hill.

Common in dry regions

Question 2

Define aquifer

Answer 2

Any sub surface material that holds a relatively large quantity of ground water and is able to transmit that water readily

Question 3

Define backshore

Answer 3

The zone behind the shore between the beach berm in the back shore slope

Question 4

Define backshore slope

Answer 4

The bank or bluff landward of the shore that is comprised of in-situ material

Question 5

River condition prior to flooding

Answer 5

Bankfull discharge

Question 6

The portion of streamflow contributed by ground water.

Answer 6

Baseflow

Question 7

A ribbon of sand deposited crossed the mouth of a bay

Answer 7

Bay-mouth bar

Question 8

What is a coastal Dune and how is it formed?

Answer 8

A sand dune that forms in coastal areas and is fed by sand from the beach

Question 9

The central route of drainage, usually channel and valley in a drainage basin

Answer 9

Conveyance zone

Question 10

A rain storm of a given intensity and frequency of reoccurrence used as the basis for sizing stormwater facilities such a storm sewers

Answer 10

Design storm

Question 11

A strategy used in Stormwater management in which runoff is detained on site to be released later at some prescribed rate

Answer 11

Detention

Question 12

Drainage basin

Answer 12

The area that contributes runoff to a stream river or lake

Question 13

The number of kilometres of stream channels per square kilometre of land

Answer 13

Drainage density

Question 14

Ephemeral stream

Answer 14

A stream without base flow i.e. one that flows only during and after rainstorms or snowmelt events

Question 15

Eutrophication

Answer 15

Increase of biomass within a water body leading to infilling and the eventual disappearance of open water. Can be caused by an increase of nutrients in the water body

Question 16

Evapotranspiration

Answer 16

The loss of water from the soil through in evaporation and transpiration

Question 17

Floodway Fringe

Answer 17

The portion of the flood plain between the floodway and the outer limit of the flood risk area

Question 18

Leachate

Answer 18

Water that is percolated through a solid and leached out some of the constituents. Problematic if emanating from decomposing waste or chemical landfill.

Question 19

How does a Natural Levee form?

Answer 19

Buildup from sediment, silt, and other materials pushed aside by flowing water along side a stream or river for example

Question 20

Littoral zone

Answer 20

Also known as nearshore, is the area of a sea lake or river that is close to the shore. Is the area where sunlight penetrates all the way to the sediment and allows aquatic plants (macrophytes) to grow

Question 21

Littoral drift

Answer 21

Long shore transportation of sediments along the upper shore due to the action of breaking and longshore currents

Question 22

Peak discharge

Answer 22

Flow which occurs when the maximum flood stage or depth is reached in a stream as a result of a storm event

Question 23

Perennial stream

Answer 23

Characterized by consistent baseflow

Question 24

Intermittent streams

Answer 24

Characterized by a base flow present in the channel at least once per year

Question 25

What type of wetlands are typically characterized by herbaceous vegetation no taller than 6 feet

Answer 25

Marshes

Question 26

What types of wetlands are typically characterized by having acidic soils

Answer 26

Bogs

Question 27

Time of concentration definition

Answer 27

Amount of time it takes for water to flow from the most remote point in a watershed to the watershed outlet

Question 28

Water circulates using five methods, what are those methods?

Answer 28

Precipitation, overland flow, infiltration, storage, and evapotranspiration

Question 29

Groundwater flows using what action

Answer 29

Capillary action

Question 30

Three general categories of wetlands, classified by soil and plant conditions

Answer 30

1) Areas with Hydrophytes and Hydric soils 2) areas without soils but with hydrophytes 3) areas without soils or hydrophytes that are periodically flooded

Question 31

What types of wetlands would be classified as having both hydric soil and Hydrophytes

Answer 31

Marshes, bogs, swamps

Question 32

What wetlands will be classified as having no soils but contain Hydrophytes

Answer 32

Seaweed covered rocky shores and aquatic beds

Question 33

What wetlands have neither Hydrophytes nor hydric soils and experience periodic flooding

Answer 33

Gravel beaches and tidal flats

Question 34

Five classifications of wetlands under the US federal fish and wildlife service?

Answer 34

Marine, Estuarine, Riverine, lacustrine, palustrine

Question 35

Open oceans and the associated coast lines fall under what category of wetlands

Answer 35

Marine

Question 36

Tidal waters of coastal rivers, and embayments, mangrove swamps and title flats Fall under what category of wetlands

Answer 36

Estuarine

Question 37

Rivers and streams fall under what category of wetlands

Answer 37

Riverine

Question 38

Lakes, Reservoir’s, and large ponds fall under what category of wetlands

Answer 38

Lacustrine

Question 39

Marshes, wet meadows, fens, playas, pocosins, bogs, swamps, and small shallow ponds fall under what catagory of wetlands

Answer 39

Palustrine

Question 40

What are two criticisms of constructed wetlands

Answer 40

Lacks the biodiversity of a naturally occurring system and may alter local hydrological regimes

Question 41

A wetland fed by ground water, dominated by Pete Moss, rich and mineral salts and is alkaline is called…

Answer 41

A fen

Question 42

Characteristics of a Lacustrine Wetland

Answer 42

Shallow depth, growth of aquatic vegetation, 20 acres or more, less than 30% vegetation cover

Question 43

What are common characteristics of an estuarine wetland

Answer 43

Brackish waters, semi-enclosed where riverine water meets sea water, highly productive ecosystems, along shoreline, varies in size

Question 44

Characteristics of a riverine wetland

Answer 44

Contain flowing water

Question 45

Characteristics of palustrine wetlands

Answer 45

Non tidal, dominated by trees, shrubs, mosses or lichens