Which land-use category is typically associated with moderate runoff due to lawns and pavement?

Which land-use category is typically associated with moderate runoff due to lawns and pavement?

• A. Suburban Land Use
• B. Urban Core
• C. Agricultural Land Use
• D. Forest Preserves

Answer: (A)

Water moved quickly off the surface where it can’t seep into the ground as easily. In suburban areas you see a mix of lawns and pavement. Lawns are fairly permeable and can absorb some rain, but roads, driveways, and sidewalks are impervious and push water toward drains and streams. This combination blocks infiltration more than rural or forested land, yet isn’t as dominated by concrete as the urban core, so the runoff is moderate rather than high. In contrast, an urban core has extensive impervious surfaces, producing higher runoff; agricultural land can vary but often allows some infiltration through soil and crop cover; forest preserves slow runoff a lot because trees, leaf litter, and soil structure promote absorption.

Water moved quickly off the surface where it can’t seep into the ground as easily. In suburban areas you see a mix of lawns and pavement. Lawns are fairly permeable and can absorb some rain, but roads, driveways, and sidewalks are impervious and push water toward drains and streams. This combination blocks infiltration more than rural or forested land, yet isn’t as dominated by concrete as the urban core, so the runoff is moderate rather than high.

In contrast, an urban core has extensive impervious surfaces, producing higher runoff; agricultural land can vary but often allows some infiltration through soil and crop cover; forest preserves slow runoff a lot because trees, leaf litter, and soil structure promote absorption.