Name: 
 

Surface Water Short Study Guide



Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

1. 

The three ways in which a stream carries its load are in solution, suspension, and ____.
a.
stream velocity
c.
bed load
b.
stream channel
d.
channel capacity
 

2. 

Which of the following is the formula for discharge?
a.
discharge = width ´ depth ´ velocity
b.
discharge = stream load ´ depth ´ velocity
c.
discharge = stream load ´ friction ´ velocity
d.
discharge = width ´ depth ´ velocity ´ friction
 

3. 

In order for rejuvenation to take place in a stream, what must occur first?
a.
Deposition must stop.
b.
The stream must dry up.
c.
The land over which the stream flows uplifts.
d.
The discharge must increase.
 

4. 

Which of the following statements is true about the development of a stream?
a.
A stream’s slope increases as it approaches base level.
b.
Water along the sides and bottom of the channel flows more rapidly.
c.
Deposition is greater in the outside curve of a meander.
d.
The velocity of water is greater along the outside of a meander curve.
 

5. 

The eutrophication of a lake leads to ____.
a.
the formation of a bog
b.
the decay of dead plants and animals
c.
the death of all life in the lake
d.
fertilizers from farmers fields being picked up by the lake
 

6. 

Potholes form in the stream bottom when ____.
a.
the water dissolves the bedrock
b.
turbulence causes pebbles to swirl
c.
an increase in suspended load occurs
d.
the stream’s carrying capacity decreases
 

7. 

The carrying capacity of a stream is its ____.
a.
ability to transport sediment
c.
volume of flow
b.
rate of runoff entering the channel
d.
stream bank height
 

8. 

Streams lengthen through ____.
a.
eutrophication
c.
headward erosion
b.
suspension
d.
upstream flooding
 

9. 

A blocked-off meander eventually becomes ____.
a.
part of the stream again
c.
an oxbow lake
b.
rejuvenated
d.
an alluvial fan
 

10. 

Which of the following statements is NOT true about wetlands?
a.
Wetlands result from the eutrophication of a lake.
b.
Lack of oxygen and lack of minerals create an atmosphere that is inhospitable to many plants.
c.
Freshwater marshes often form along the stream’s mouth and in areas with deltas.
d.
Wetlands only exist in freshwater areas.
 

Matching
 
 
Match each item with the correct definition below.
a.
rejuvenation
e.
meander
b.
lake
f.
delta
c.
stream banks
g.
wetland
d.
flood
 

11. 

A triangular deposit that forms where a stream enters a large body of water
 

12. 

A stream resumes the process of downcutting
 

13. 

A depression in the land that holds water
 

14. 

An area periodically saturated with water
 

15. 

Water spills over the sides of a stream’s banks
 

Short Answer
 

16. 

Compare and contrast materials carried in suspension and solution by the stream.
 

17. 

Identify the two stream formations shown below. Compare how each is formed.

water_short_files/i0210000.jpg
 

18. 

Describe three processes of lake formation.
 

19. 

Explain how people have contributed to the destruction of wetlands.
 

20. 

Explain how floodplains develop such highly fertile soils.
 

21. 

What factors increase or decrease the amount of runoff in an area?
 

22. 

Describe three ways a natural lake can form.
 

23. 

How does an increase in a stream’s velocity affect its discharge and carrying capacity?
 

24. 

How do vegetation and slope affect runoff?
 
 
The graph shows the discharge of a river that flows through two cities, Frankston and Wet Gulch. At either city, the river’s banks cannot handle a discharge of 3.5 million cubic meters per second or more. At that point, the river reaches its flood stage. Study the graph and answer the questions.

water_short_files/i0290000.jpg
 

25. 

During how many days in March did the river at Wet Gulch and Frankston overflow its banks?
 

Problem
 
 
The table lists water quality measurements that were taken over a 40-year period at Lake Smith. Measurements included dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphate, nitrogen, the number of largemouth bass, and mosses and grasses. Dissolved oxygen is the measure of the amount of oxygen available to life-forms in the water. Largemouth bass is a common variety of fish found in healthy lakes. Mosses and grasses start to appear as the pH of the water becomes more acidic.

Water Quality at Lake Smith
 
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
Dissolved oxygen
(parts per million,
or ppm)
20
19
18
18
16
17
15
11
9
pH
7.6
7.2
7.1
7.0
6.8
6.8
6.5
6.1
5.8
Phosphate (ppm)
0.0
0.10
0.20
0.25
0.28
0.28
0.45
0.55
0.55
Nitrogen (ppm)
0.05
0.18
0.19
0.25
0.28
0.28
0.35
0.40
0.45
Largemouth bass
450
455
448
338
235
220
155
125
50
Mosses and grasses
0
0
2
5
15
18
29
35
55
 

26. 

What is eutrophication? Did it occur at Lake Smith? Explain your answer.
 

27. 

After 1950, farmers in the Lake Smith area increased their use of fertilizers. Does the data support this statement? Explain your answer.
 

28. 

How do changes in phosphate and dissolved oxygen content over time compare? Explain the changes that took place.
 

29. 

What do you predict will happen to the lake in the next 40 years?
 

30. 

The table shows that the number of largemouth bass decreased as the number of mosses and grasses increased. From this data, can you conclude that the increase of mosses and grasses caused the largemouth bass population to decline? Explain your answer.
 



 
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