Review questions

1. Define Hydrology as a discipline within the Earth Sciences.

2. Define and differentiate Forest Hydrology from the broader study of Hydrology.

3. List at least three practical applications of Hydrology.

4. Explain and provide examples of the five functions of water.

5. List at least five current global water resources issues.

6. Explain the watershed concept and why it is the main spatial unit used in Hydrology.

7. List the five factors that determine watershed characteristics.

8. Explain at least eight specific watershed parameters.

9. Infer how watershed characteristics (e.g. soil type, mean slope, etc.) may affect different response factors (e.g. sediment load, flood risk, etc.)

10. Sketch the global and terrestrial hydrologic cycles with their major storages and processes.

11. Understand the major components of the hydrologic cycle.

12. Write and understand the basic water balance equation.

13. Explain how electromagnetic radiation works and explain the different types of radiant energy.

14. Describe the major components of the energy balance equation.

15. Explain the four forms of energy transfer and how they correspond to each component of the energy balance equation.

16. Illustrate the direction (positive/negative) and relative magnitude of local energy exchanges during various seasons and at night/day.

17. Explain how the presence or absence of vegetation affects the local energy balance and each of its energy components.

18. Distinguish the precipitation processes occurring at the vegetation layer and be able to sketch them on a diagram.

19. Describe the four steps required to form precipitation.

20. Calculate relative humidity and describe its components.

21. Interpret and explain the effects of temperature and pressure changes to an air parcel on a saturation vapor pressure curve / graph.

22. Understand the relationship between uplifting and precipitation formation.

23. List and describe all types of uplifting mechanisms.

24. Describe the different precipitation measurement types and their associated advantages and disadvantages.

25. Explain at least three errors associated with ground-based precipitation measurements.

26. Understand the types of precipitation analysis and the importance of their application.

27. Describe infiltration and explain the mechanisms responsible for water movement in the soil.

28. List three factors that can influence infiltration rates.

29. Describe how surface ponding occurs and explain how it can affect infiltration rates.

30. Explain each component of Darcy's law and label where each would be found on a permeameter.

31. Calculate groundwater flow using Darcy's law.

32. Illustrate how the water table shifts annually in a snow-dominated and rain-dominated regime.

33. Explain one method of measuring infiltration rates.

34. Use the Horton equation to derive the decay constant k

35. Define groundwater and explain its role in the hydrologic cycle.

36. Describe at least three reasons why the study of groundwater is important.

37. Describe the types of aquifers and label them on a diagram.

38. Draw a water table line and/or potentiometric surface using hydraulic head from a well and/or piezometer.

39. List and explain at least three factors that can influence groundwater levels.

40. Use equipotential lines to draw a flow net and illustrate groundwater flow path.

41. Define evapotranspiration and explain its role in the hydrologic cycle.

42. Describe the three components of evapotranspiration.

43. Explain the difference between actual and potential evapotranspiration.

44. List three factors that influence evapotranspiration and explain how they would be affected by the removal of vegetation.

45. Explain how interception differs between tree species and precipitation type.

46. Provide an example of a direct and indirect method of measuring evapotranspiration.

47. Describe the different types of runoff and where / how they occur.

48. Differentiate between saturation-excess overland flow and Hortonian overland flow.

49. Draw an annual hydrograph for a rain, rain-on-snow and snow-dominated regime.

50. Explain the variable source area concept and the runoff mechanisms it is associated with.

51. Label the components of a storm hydrograph.

52. Define quickflow and baseflow and describe how they are separated on hydrograph.

53. Explain the difference between "old" (pre-event) and "new" (event) water, and which generally predominates in a peakflow event.

54. List and describe three basin characteristics that can influence streamflow.

55. Match a set of hydrographs with various land uses.

56. Label on a map of British Columbia where the three hydroclimate regimes are found.

57. List at least three methods of measuring streamflow, explain how they are used and which stream type they are best suited for.

58. Explain why Manning's equation is sometimes, describe its components and where on a stream cross-section they are measured.

59. Explain what happens to the density of a snowpack over the course of a snow season.

60. Discuss the phases of snowmelt and explain what it means for snow to be isothermal.

WHEN ALL LAYERS OF THE SNOWPACK ARE AT THE SAME TEMPERATURE, TYPICALLY AT THE FREEZING POINT. OFTEN REFERS TO A SNOWPACK THAT IS WET THROUGHOUT ITS DEPTH.

61. Compare the factors that influence snow accumulation in an open site vs. a forested site, and between different forest types.

62. Illustrate the direction (positive/negative) and relative magnitude of local energy exchanges on the snowpack under various weather conditions.

63. Compare the factors that influence snow ablation in an open site vs. a forested site, and between different forest types.

64. Explain which components of the local energy balance would be most adversely affected by forest harvesting.

65. Describe the radiative paradox and where it typically occurs.

66. Calculate SWE from field snow survey data.

67. Calculate and compare ablation rates for an open and forested site.

68. Define return period and how it is related to exceedance probability.

69. Describe how the mean, variance and skewness affect the shape of a probability distribution.

70. List the two main assumptions of flood frequency analysis.

71. Explain the difference between a graphical and analytical flood frequency analysis.

72. Explain how flood frequency analysis is used in terms of risk-based design.

73. Describe what occurs in terms of flood risk when the mean and/or variability of a peakflow frequency d curve are shifted.

74. Describe how forest harvesting could affect the mean and variability of a peakflow distribution curve

75. Define what a scientific paradigm is and its relation to the prevalent state of knowledge in the topic of forests and floods.

76. Explain how chronological pairing works, identify at least two of its flaws, and describe the conclusion hydrologists have got from it with regards to the effect of forests on floods.

77. Explain the stochastic logic behind frequency pairing and the conclusion multiple studies have reached with its application with regards to the effect of forests on floods.