A drainage basin is defined as the land area that contributes water to which feature?

A drainage basin is defined as the land area that contributes water to which feature?

• A. A river.
• B. A lake.
• C. An ocean.
• D. A groundwater aquifer.

Answer: (A)

A drainage basin, or watershed, is the land area where all precipitation and surface runoff flow toward a common outlet, usually a river. The boundary is set by the surrounding high ground or divides, directing water from every part of the basin into that river. Water from rainfall in different spots travels downslope through streams or infiltrates to feed groundwater, and eventually that water reaches the river as surface flow or baseflow. So the defining feature the basin contributes water to is the river, making it the best answer. While basins may ultimately drain into lakes or oceans, the standard concept centers on the river as the outlet that collects water from the entire catchment. Groundwater aquifers are a separate underground storage and flow system, not the surface outlet defining a basin.

A drainage basin, or watershed, is the land area where all precipitation and surface runoff flow toward a common outlet, usually a river. The boundary is set by the surrounding high ground or divides, directing water from every part of the basin into that river. Water from rainfall in different spots travels downslope through streams or infiltrates to feed groundwater, and eventually that water reaches the river as surface flow or baseflow. So the defining feature the basin contributes water to is the river, making it the best answer. While basins may ultimately drain into lakes or oceans, the standard concept centers on the river as the outlet that collects water from the entire catchment. Groundwater aquifers are a separate underground storage and flow system, not the surface outlet defining a basin.