Question:medium

Transformation of rainfall at a place in a watershed into the channel flow has the following sequence:
A. Infiltration into soil
B. Depression storage
C. Occurrence of rainfall
D. Interflow
E. Surface runoff
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

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The transformation of rainfall to runoff is a process of losses. The sequence is always: Rainfall \(\rightarrow\) Initial Losses (Interception, Depression Storage) \(\rightarrow\) Infiltration \(\rightarrow\) Runoff (Surface Runoff, Interflow).
Updated On: Feb 19, 2026
  • A, B, E, C, D
  • C, A, B, D, E
  • C, A, B, D, E
  • C, A, B, D, E
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Describe the journey of a raindrop within a watershed, from its initial fall to its movement through channels.
Step 2: Sequence the described hydrological processes logically.
1. C. Rainfall: Initiation of the process by precipitation.
2. B. Depression Storage: Accumulation of water in surface irregularities.
3. A. Infiltration: Water absorption into the soil, contingent on rainfall intensity versus soil capacity.
4. E. Surface Runoff: Overland flow occurring when depression storage is full and rainfall exceeds infiltration capacity.
5. D. Interflow: Lateral movement of infiltrated water within upper soil layers, potentially re-emerging at the surface or entering stream channels, occurring concurrently with surface runoff.
A typical progression is C \(\rightarrow\) B \(\rightarrow\) A \(\rightarrow\) E \(\rightarrow\) D. Option (B) presents C, A, B, D, E. This implies infiltration (A) precedes full depression storage (B), a plausible scenario. Interflow (D) is placed before surface runoff (E), which deviates from common sequencing but is feasible in certain hydrological models. Considering the available options, this sequence appears to be the intended, though not perfectly standard, answer.
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