The maximum discharge of a river after a storm is called what?

The maximum discharge of a river after a storm is called what?

• A. Peak Discharge
• B. Base Flow
• C. Lag Time
• D. Surface Storage

Answer: (A)

Discharge is the volume of water flowing past a point in a river per unit time. After rainfall, runoff and groundwater feed the channel, and the river’s discharge rises to a single highest value—the peak discharge. That peak represents the maximum rate of flow reached during the storm response and is what the hydrograph shows at its crest. Base flow is the normal, sustained flow supplied largely by groundwater, not the storm-induced maximum. Lag time is the delay between the rainfall event and the time the peak discharge occurs. Surface storage refers to water stored on the land surface (pools, depressions, etc.) that can influence runoff but is not the maximum discharge itself.

Discharge is the volume of water flowing past a point in a river per unit time. After rainfall, runoff and groundwater feed the channel, and the river’s discharge rises to a single highest value—the peak discharge. That peak represents the maximum rate of flow reached during the storm response and is what the hydrograph shows at its crest.

Base flow is the normal, sustained flow supplied largely by groundwater, not the storm-induced maximum. Lag time is the delay between the rainfall event and the time the peak discharge occurs. Surface storage refers to water stored on the land surface (pools, depressions, etc.) that can influence runoff but is not the maximum discharge itself.