Hydrology Concepts Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What does the areal reduction factor represent in the context of rainfall?

The depth of precipitation over the average area

The ratio of mean areal rainfall to mean point rainfall (correct)

The total precipitation in a specified region

The maximum rainfall recorded in an area

Which term refers to the part of a river basin located above a certain elevation?

Arithmetic mean

Areal precipitation

Area-elevation curve (correct)

Automatic station

In statistics, what is defined as the sum of a set of values divided by the number of values?

Geometric mean

Arithmetic mean (correct)

Mode

Median

What type of station automatically records observations without manual intervention?

Automatic station Signup and view all the answers

Which function of time is frequently assumed for the weight given to each day's precipitation?

Exponential or reciprocal function Signup and view all the answers

What defines a deterministic system in hydrology?

It uniquely determines its response to a given input. Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the part of surface runoff that occurs immediately after rainfall?

Direct runoff Signup and view all the answers

What does the discharge coefficient represent?

Ratio of actual discharge to theoretical discharge Signup and view all the answers

What information does a discharge hydrograph provide?

Variation of hydrological data over time Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a drainage divide?

A boundary line separating drainage basins Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by a drought index?

Cumulative effects of moisture deficiency Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the plotted accumulated values of one variable against another over time?

Double mass curve Signup and view all the answers

Effective rainfall is defined as which part of rainfall?

Rainfall that contributes to runoff Signup and view all the answers

What is defined as the flow of water out of a stream or lake?

Outflow Signup and view all the answers

What term describes precipitation caused by the ascent of moist air over barriers?

Orographic precipitation Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to nearly level land along a stream that floods under certain conditions?

Overbank flow channel Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'parameter' refer to in hydrological models?

Coefficient adjusted for specific conditions Signup and view all the answers

What type of hydrology involves a deterministic approach to analyze hydrological processes?

Parametric hydrology Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by peak discharge in hydrology?

Maximum instantaneous discharge Signup and view all the answers

What does a peaks-over-threshold series represent?

Values of events exceeding a set threshold Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'return period' in the context of hydrology?

Magnitude of a hydrological event Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'precipitation intensity' refer to?

The amount of precipitation collected over a unit time interval Signup and view all the answers

Which instrument is used to measure the water-vapor content of the atmosphere?

Psychrometer Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary station in hydrometric terms?

A station observing various environmental elements over many years Signup and view all the answers

What does probable maximum precipitation (PMP) signify?

The statistical upper limit of precipitation for a specific duration Signup and view all the answers

What is probability paper used for?

To plot the cumulative probability of a distribution as a straight line Signup and view all the answers

What is a precipitation station used for?

Observing and recording precipitation only Signup and view all the answers

What defines the concept of probability in statistical terms?

It expresses a 'degree of belief' or frequency of occurrence Signup and view all the answers

How does pulse dilution gauging work?

Through instantaneous injection of a tracer and measuring its concentration downstream Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of conducting a pumping test?

To determine aquifer parameters near a well Signup and view all the answers

What does a rain gauge measure?

The depth of water from precipitation at a point Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the region on the lee side of a mountain where rainfall is significantly reduced?

Rain shadow Signup and view all the answers

How is rainfall intensity expressed?

In units of depth per unit of time Signup and view all the answers

What does the quantile classify with respect to a variate?

The partition values that divide frequency Signup and view all the answers

What is rainfall excess?

The part of rainfall that contributes to surface runoff Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'random error' refer to in measurements?

Deviation from the true value behaving like a random variate Signup and view all the answers

Which procedure is used to derive probable maximum precipitation?

Rainfall maximization Signup and view all the answers

What does a staff gauge indicate?

The level of the water surface Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of skewness in a probability distribution?

It indicates the asymmetry of the distribution. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'standard error of estimate' refer to?

The standard deviation of the observed values around a regression line Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a stationary process?

The mean and variance are constant over time. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'standard project flood'?

The flood discharge expected from severe conditions typical to a region Signup and view all the answers

What does a stage hydrograph usually represent?

The variation of water stage over time Signup and view all the answers

How is standard deviation defined in the context of a frequency distribution?

It measures the dispersion of a set of values. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'spillway design flood' refer to?

The maximum flood flow a dam can safely handle Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Hydrology Terminology

Accumulative precipitation gauge: A precipitation gauge used at stations visited at intervals.
Active basin area: Basin area excluding undrained parts.
Actual evaporation: The quantity of water evaporated from an open water surface or the ground.
Actual evapotranspiration: The sum of evaporated water from soil and plants with natural moisture.
Advection: The transfer of air mass properties by atmospheric velocity.
Altitude: Vertical distance from mean sea-level.
Annual exceedence series: A series of events exceeding a base value, equivalent to the number of years in the record.
Annual flood: Highest peak discharge in a water year. Or the flood which was equaled or exceeded once each year on average.
Annual flow: Total volume of water flowing in a river basin during a year.
Annual maximum series: Extreme-value series containing largest annual values.
Annual minimum series: Extreme-value series containing smallest annual values.
Annual runoff: Total volume of water flowing in a river basin during a year.
Annual series: Hydrological characteristic/element for a series of years.
Annual storage: The volume of water stored in reservoirs to cater for seasonal variations in inflow and demand.
Annual storage capacity: The volume of water a reservoir can store to partly or completely manage seasonal inflow and demand variations
Antecedent precipitation index: A measure of soil moisture using past daily precipitation.

Additional Topics

Area-elevation curve: Curve showing the relationship of the area of a river basin to specified elevation.
Areal precipitation: Average depth of liquid water over an area.
Areal reduction factor (of rainfall): Ratio of mean areal to mean point rainfall.
Arithmetic mean: Sum of a set of values divided by their number.
Arithmetic mean (of a frequency distribution): First moment.
Automatic station: Station with instruments to make observations automatically.
Average velocity: Discharge divided by cross-sectional area.
Average year: Year with observed hydrological/meteorological quantity equal to long-term average.
Bankfull discharge: Discharge when water course does not overtop banks.
Bankfull stage: Stage at which a stream just overflows its natural banks.
Base-width (of a flood hydrograph): Interval between the start and end of direct runoff.
Basin: Drainage area of a stream, river, or lake.
Basin response: Manner a basin reacts to meteorological events.
Basin response (catchment response): Manner in which a basin reacts to meteorological events.
Basin response: Pattern of reactions of any water body to meteorological conditions.
Baseflow: Water in river as a result of groundwater discharge.
Bubble gauge: Gauge using gas-purged system for water level measurement
Calibration: Experimental determination of relationship between measurement quantity and instrument indication.
Catchment: Area with a common outfall for surface runoff.
Catchment area: Area with a common outlet.
Catchment response: Manner in which a basin reacts to meteorological events.
Channel frequency: Count of stream segments (all orders) within a drainage area, divided by the area..
Channel network: Arrangement of drainage channels within an area.
Clear overflow weir: Weir where flow is not submerged by downstream water (tail water).
Climate: Synthesis of weather conditions, long-term statistics of weather elements.
Climate change: Significant variation in regional climate.
Climatic change: Significant long-term change in regional climate.
Climatological station for hydrological purposes: Station placed in a drainage basin to supplement climatological network (to meet hydrological requirements).
Coefficient of determination: Square of the correlation coefficient, proportion of the dependent variate's variance explained by independent variates.
Coefficient of variation: Ratio of standard deviation to mean, statistical parameter describing a stochastic variable.
Compound weir: Weir with two or more sections (of different types and/or dimensions).
Conceptual hydrological model: Simplified representation of hydrological cycle processes.
Conditional probability: Probability of one event given the occurrence of another.
Confidence interval: Interval that includes the true value with a prescribed probability.
Confidence limits: Values that define the lower and upper bounds of the confidence interval
Constant-rate dilution gauging: Flow measurement/determination using tracer injection with known concentration.
Continental hydrology: Hydrological processes within continental areas, emphasizing continental phase of water cycle.
Continuity equation: Equation describing conservation of mass for flowing matter.
Convective precipitation: Precipitation due to convective motion in the atmosphere.
Correlation: Interdependence between two measurable variates.
Correlation coefficient: Measures interdependence of two variables.
Crest gauge: Device to record maximum water stage.
Cumulative precipitation gage: Precipitation gauge visited periodically.
Cup-type current meter: Current meter with cups rotated by water flow.
Current meter: Instrument to measure water velocity.
Cyclonic precipitation: Precipitation due to atmospheric depression.
Data bank: Comprehensive files of related data for specific applications
Data base: Comprehensive files of related data for specific applications.
Data collection system: Co-ordinated system for collecting observations from a hydrological network and transmitting to a data-processing facility (or location)
Data processing: Handling of observation data until ready for a specific purpose.
Datum level: Horizontal reference surface for elevations.
Decay rate: Rate of decrease in concentration (or activity of radioactive isotopes), often expressed as half-life.
Depletion curve: Curve showing a decreasing rate of runoff.

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Test your knowledge on essential hydrology concepts and terminology with this quiz. Explore questions covering rainfall, river basins, statistical measures, hydrological systems, and discharge. Perfect for students and enthusiasts looking to deepen their understanding of water science.