CIV E 634-SURFACE WATER HYDROLOGY
SPRING 2007
MIDTERM EXAM
MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2007, 1900-2015

Name: ___________________ Red ID: _________________ Grade: _______

Instructions: Closed book, closed notes. Use engineering paper. When you are finished, staple your work in sequence, and return this sheet with your work.

 

  1. What is the main difference between L'vovich's approach to the water balance and the conventional approach?

  2. What is the Bowen ratio? How is it related to climate? What does a low Bowen ratio mean in terms of climate?

  3. Why do the conceptual models of overland flow cause diffusion, while the kinematic model does not? What is the ratio between the time to equilibrium of kinematic and conceptual models?

  4. What four variables are considered in the Papadakis-Kazan and other theoretical formulas for time of concentration?

  5. Why is the Mockus approach to runoff generation, for the most part, better than Horton's? Explain.

  6. What other effects, besides soil, land use, and surface condition, are included in the antecedent moisture condition (AMC)? Why is Maidment's criticism of Mockus' method unfounded?

  7. What is albedo? What is the mean albedo of the Earth's surface? How does albedo vary from rain forests to deserts? How is albedo related to desertification?

  8. Why is Budyko's model important in surface-water hydrology? How do the water balance coefficients Kc, Kd, and Kr vary across the climatic spectrum?

  9. What is the root cause of El Niño? How often does an El Niño event likely to recur?

  10. What is the mean annual global terrestrial precipitation? Why is drought duration likely to persist around the middle of the climatic spectrum?

  11. Extra credit (10 points): Write a short essay (200 words or less) explaining why the anthropogenic replacement of evapotranspiration for runoff is unwise in the long run.