KABALE UNIVERSITY

QUESTION BANKS FOR HYDROLOGY

1. Explain the unique properties of water that make it essential for life. Please include at least
three properties and discuss their significance.
2. Define and describe the concept of water’s polarity. How does this polarity influence the
behavior of water molecules?
3. Describe the role of water in temperature regulation on Earth. Include the concepts of
specific heat and heat of vaporization in your response.
4. Discuss the concept of water’s density anomaly. How does this property affect aquatic life
in cold regions?
5. Water is often called the "universal solvent". Explain why water is considered to be a good
solvent and give an example of its significance in biological processes.
6. Describe the stages of the hydrological cycle, explaining each stage in the movement of
water through the environment.
7. How does human activity, such as urbanization and deforestation, impact the hydrological
cycle? Provide two examples.
8. Explain the importance of the hydrological cycle in regulating climate and sustaining
ecosystems.
9. What are the processes of infiltration, percolation, and groundwater flow within the
hydrological cycle? Explain their roles in water movement through the soil and aquifers.
10. What is the significance of transpiration in the hydrological cycle? How does it contribute
to water movement within ecosystems?
11. Define precipitation. List and briefly describe the four main types of precipitation.
12. Explain how precipitation occurs as a result of cloud formation. Include the role of
condensation and saturation in your answer.
13. A rain gauge collected 25 mm of rain over 3 hours. Calculate the rate of precipitation in
mm per hour.
14. Explain the differences between orographic precipitation and convectional precipitation.
Provide examples of where each occurs.
15. A region experienced 120 mm of rainfall over 5 days. Calculate the average daily rainfall
for this region.
16. Using the data below, calculate the total rainfall over 7 days:
17. Define interception and describe its components (interception loss, throughfall, and
stemflow). How does interception affect the water balance in a watershed?
18. A 12-hectare forested area receives an annual rainfall of 950 mm, with 18% of the rainfall
lost due to interception. Calculate the volume of water intercepted annually in cubic meters.
19. Explain the difference between potential evapotranspiration (PET) and actual
evapotranspiration (AET). Discuss three factors that can cause AET to be lower than PET
in a given region.
20. Discuss how seasonal changes (e.g., wet and dry seasons) influence interception and
evapotranspiration rates. Provide examples of how these changes might affect water
availability for surface and groundwater recharge.
21. A region with dense vegetation is converted into agricultural land. Evaluate the impact of
this land-use change on interception, evapotranspiration, and surface runoff. How can this
change affect the local hydrological cycle and water resources management?
22. Define infiltration and infiltration rate. Explain the difference between the initial
infiltration rate and the steady-state infiltration rate
23. A soil sample has an initial infiltration rate of 20 mm/hr, which decreases to a steady-state
infiltration rate of 5 mm/hr after 2 hours of continuous rainfall. Calculate the total amount
of water that has infiltrated into the soil over the 2 hours
24. List and explain five factors that affect the infiltration rate of soil. Provide examples of
how each factor might increase or decrease the infiltration rate in a given environment
25. Describe the different hydrologic horizons in the zone of aeration (unsaturated zone) and
their roles in the movement and storage of soil moisture. How do these horizons influence
the rate of infiltration and soil water redistribution?
26. A field is being evaluated for irrigation using soil water redistribution and hydrologic
parameters such as field capacity, wilting point, and soil permeability. Describe how each
of these parameters affects the planning of an efficient irrigation system. What adjustments
will be necessary if the soil has low permeability?
27. Define groundwater flow and explain the role of hydraulic gradient in determining the
direction and rate of flow
28. State Darcy’s law for saturated flow and derive its equation. Explain how hydraulic
conductivity and cross-sectional area influence the flow rate through a porous medium
29. Discuss the distribution of groundwater in Uganda. How do geological formations like
aquifers and aquicludes influence groundwater availability in different regions of the
country?
30. Explain the difference between confined and unconfined aquifers and how they affect
groundwater flow patterns. Provide a sketch illustrating typical groundwater flow patterns
in both types of aquifers
31. Describe the relationship between groundwater and surface water systems. How do gaining
and losing streams interact with groundwater flow, and what are the implications for water
resource management in semi-arid regions?
32. A groundwater well has a hydraulic conductivity of 10 m/day and a cross-sectional area of
5 square meters. The hydraulic gradient between two points is 0.02. Calculate the flow rate
using Darcy's law.
33. Explain the purpose of a pumping test and how it can be used to determine the hydraulic
conductivity and transmissivity of an aquifer. What data is typically collected during a
pumping test?
34. A rural community in Uganda relies on groundwater for drinking water. Due to seasonal
variation, the water table fluctuates significantly. What strategies can be used to ensure a
sustainable water supply throughout the year?
35. Describe the potential of oil and gas resources in the Albertine Graben region of Uganda.
Discuss how the extraction of these resources might impact groundwater quality and
availability in the region
36. Analyze the potential environmental impacts of groundwater extraction for oil and gas
development in Uganda. What measures can be implemented to mitigate the risk of
contamination of groundwater sources?
37. Define hydrological drought and differentiate it from meteorological and agricultural
drought.
38. List and describe four types of drought. Provide examples of situations or regions where
each type might be prevalent.
39. Explain how the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is used to measure hydrological
drought. What are the advantages of using SPI compared to other drought indices?
40. Describe two methods used to measure hydrological drought and discuss the advantages
and limitations of each method.
41. Discuss the environmental, social, and economic impacts of drought on a community that
relies on agriculture as its primary livelihood.
42. A river basin has experienced three consecutive years of below-average rainfall. Analyze
how this could lead to hydrological drought and the possible downstream effects on water
availability for different sectors.
43. Identify and explain five strategies for mitigating the impacts of drought on water
resources. How can these strategies be applied to arid or semi-arid regions?
44. Compare and contrast the roles of reservoir management and water recycling in mitigating
the impacts of hydrological drought. What are the potential challenges associated with each
approach?
45. Evaluate the impact of prolonged drought on groundwater recharge and how this can affect
long-term water availability. What management practices can help maintain groundwater
levels during extended drought periods?
46. Design a drought preparedness plan for a rural area that is highly dependent on a seasonal
river. Include measures for water conservation, monitoring, and community education.
47. Define a flood and explain the difference between a flash flood and a river flood.
48. Explain the importance of flood studies for urban planning and disaster management.
Provide examples of how these studies can help prevent flood damage
49. List and describe five major causes of floods. Include both natural and human-induced
causes
50. Discuss how the seasonal distribution of rainfall influences the occurrence of floods in
different regions. Provide examples of regions that are prone to seasonal flooding
51. What is a design flood? How is it determined, and why is it important in the construction
of hydraulic structures like dams and bridges?
52. Identify and explain five factors that affect flood flow in a river basin. How do these factors
influence the severity and speed of flood events?
53. Explain the concept of magnitude and frequency of floods. How is the return period of a
flood calculated, and what is its significance in flood risk assessment?
54. Describe one empirical method used for estimating peak flood discharge in a river basin.
Discuss its assumptions and limitations.
55. What is the role of probability analysis in flood prediction? Describe how the Gumbel
distribution is used to estimate extreme flood events
56. Explain the unit hydrograph method and its application in flood studies. What are the key
assumptions behind this method, and how does it differ from empirical approaches?
57. Define a flood control reservoir. How does it differ from a multipurpose reservoir?
58. List and explain the different types of flood control reservoirs. Include examples of
situations where each type would be most effective
59. What factors should be considered when selecting a location for a flood control reservoir?
Discuss at least five key factors
60. Describe the factors that influence the size of a flood control reservoir. How does the
storage capacity relate to flood risk management?
61. Explain the role of levees and flood walls in flood control. What are the key design
considerations for constructing effective levees?
62. What is stage reduction, and how do flood control reservoirs achieve it? Discuss the
significance of stage reduction in minimizing downstream flood impacts.
63. How do flood control reservoirs reduce peak discharge during a flood event? Provide a
detailed explanation of the mechanisms involved.
64. What is flood routing, and why is it important in the design of flood control reservoirs?
Describe the different methods of flood routing
65. Discuss the challenges involved in designing and maintaining levees for flood control
purposes. What are common causes of levee failure, and how can they be mitigated
66. Choose a real-world example of a flood control reservoir or levee system. Analyze how it
has been effective in managing flood risks and what improvements could be made to
enhance its performance.