MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Stream channel erosion occurs at the lower end/ upper end of head tributaries
A)
lower end
B)
upper end
Stream channel erosion in head tributaries mainly occurs at the upper end, i.e., near the source or headwaters, where vertical downcutting is active. The lower end generally receives deposited material rather than being the main zone of active erosion.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Base flow/surface runoff is water that flows to streams from natural storage.
A)
Base flow
B)
surface runoff
Water that reaches streams from natural subsurface storage, such as groundwater seepage, is called base flow. Surface runoff is water that flows over the land surface into streams after rainfall, not from natural storage. Therefore, the correct choice is Base flow.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: In soil and water conservation, the agronomical /mechanical measure is a more economical, long lasting and effective technique
A)
agronomical
B)
mechanical
In soil and water conservation, agronomical measures such as contour farming, strip cropping, mulching, crop rotation, and cover cropping are generally more economical, long-lasting, and effective because they reduce erosion by improving soil cover and structure. Mechanical measures like bunds, terraces, and trenches are effective too, but they usually require higher initial cost, maintenance, and are less economical than agronomical methods. Therefore, the correct choice is agronomical.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: In high rainfall areas with steep slopes, inward/outward sloping type of terraces are generally used
A)
inward
B)
outward
In high rainfall areas with steep slopes, terraces are generally given an outward slope so that excess rainwater can drain away safely. This helps reduce waterlogging and prevents terrace failure. Inward-sloping terraces are usually preferred where water conservation and infiltration are desired, not in very high rainfall conditions.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Rate of evaporation is directly proportional to depth of water
A)
True
B)
False
The rate of evaporation is generally not directly proportional to the depth of water. Evaporation mainly depends on factors like temperature, humidity, wind speed, surface area, and solar radiation. Depth of water does not directly increase evaporation rate; in fact, for an open water body, evaporation occurs from the surface only, so depth has little or no direct effect.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Write 'T' for correct statement and 'F' for false statement: Terrace spacing is generally expressed as the vertical distances between two terraces.
A)
True
B)
False
Terrace spacing is generally described in terms of vertical interval, i.e., the vertical distance between two successive terraces. This is a standard soil conservation term. So the statement is correct.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
The branch of science that deals with the atmospheric phenomenon and the basic law that produce atmosphere, the agent through which many of the hydrologic characters are brought about is known as:
A)
Climatology
B)
Meteorology
C)
hydrology
D)
hydrologic cycle
Meteorology is the branch of science that studies the atmosphere, atmospheric phenomena, and the physical laws governing them. Since the question describes the science dealing with atmospheric phenomena and the agent influencing hydrologic characteristics, the correct answer is Meteorology. Climatology deals with long-term weather patterns, hydrology studies water on and under the Earth's surface, and the hydrologic cycle is the circulation of water, not a branch of science.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Meteorology is a sub-division of Climatology
A)
True
B)
False
Meteorology and climatology are related but distinct branches of atmospheric science. Meteorology deals with short-term weather processes and forecasting, while climatology studies long-term patterns and averages of climate. Therefore, meteorology is not a sub-division of climatology; rather, climatology is often considered a sub-division or branch related to meteorology.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Isohyet/Isobar is the line joining areas of equal rainfall on a map
A)
Isohyet
B)
Isobar
An isohyet is a line joining places of equal rainfall on a map. An isobar, on the other hand, joins places of equal atmospheric pressure. Since the question asks for equal rainfall, the correct term is Isohyet.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Intensity of rainfall is directly/inversely proportional to runoff
A)
directly
B)
inversely
Runoff generally increases as rainfall intensity increases, because a larger amount of water falls in a shorter time, giving less opportunity for infiltration. Hence, rainfall intensity and runoff are directly proportional. The option 'inversely' is incorrect because higher intensity does not reduce runoff; it usually increases it.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
For discharge measurement, one of the methods generally use is:
A)
Area- Slope method
B)
Arithmetic-average method
C)
Double Mass Curve method
D)
Isohyetal method
The Area-Slope method is a recognized method used for discharge measurement in stream gauging and open-channel flow estimation. It relates discharge to the cross-sectional area and water surface slope. The other options are not discharge measurement methods: Arithmetic-average method is not a standard hydrology discharge method, Double Mass Curve is used for consistency analysis of hydrologic data, and Isohyetal method is used to estimate average rainfall over an area.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Write 'T' for correct statement and 'F' for false statement: In order not to lose the top soil, it is necessary to start construction of terraces from the top towards the bottom.
A)
True
B)
False
Terrace construction for soil conservation is generally started from the bottom and proceeds upward. This helps provide a stable base, proper alignment, and easier control of runoff. Starting from the top toward the bottom is not the correct practice, so the statement is false.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
The rational formula Qp = 1/36 CIA is used for determining:
A)
peak discharge
B)
flow through pipes
C)
flow through Parshall flume
D)
base flow
The rational formula is used in hydrology to estimate the peak runoff discharge from a catchment. In the given form, Qp = (1/36) CIA, where C is the runoff coefficient, I is the rainfall intensity, and A is the catchment area. Since it is intended to compute the maximum runoff rate during a storm, the correct answer is peak discharge. The other options are incorrect because pipes, Parshall flumes, and base flow are not what the rational method is designed to determine.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Write 'T' for correct statement and 'F' for false statement: Loose rock dams are temporary gully control structures.
A)
True
B)
False
Loose rock dams are small, temporary gully control structures made of locally available loose stones. They are used to slow runoff, trap sediment, and stabilize small gullies until more permanent measures or vegetation can take over. Therefore, the statement is correct.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Write 'T' for correct statement and 'F' for false statement: Batter slope is mainly for the stability of the fill or the embankment.
A)
True
B)
False
A batter slope is the side slope provided on an earth fill or embankment to ensure stability and prevent slipping or failure. Since it supports the stability of the fill/embankment, the statement is correct. Therefore, option (a) True is correct.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Mean velocity of a river, if measured at one point, is usually measured at 0.4 D (depth)
A)
True
B)
False
In open-channel flow, the mean velocity at a vertical is commonly estimated by measuring velocity at 0.6D below the water surface, or by averaging velocities at 0.2D and 0.8D. Measuring at 0.4D is not the usual standard for mean velocity. Hence the statement is false.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Stream bank/coastal erosion is the wearing a way of land and the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave action.
A)
Stream bank
B)
coastal
The statement describes erosion caused by wave action and the removal of beach or dune sediments, which is coastal erosion. Stream bank erosion refers to the wearing away of land along river or stream banks, not by wave action.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Atmospheric pressure varies with Earth rotation
A)
True
B)
False
Atmospheric pressure mainly varies with altitude, temperature, humidity, and weather systems. Earth’s rotation affects wind and circulation through the Coriolis force, but it does not directly cause atmospheric pressure to vary. So the statement is false.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Infiltration capacity is directly/inversely proportional to runoff
A)
directly
B)
inversely
Infiltration capacity is the maximum rate at which soil can absorb water. If infiltration capacity is higher, more rainfall enters the ground and less water remains on the surface to become runoff. Therefore, runoff decreases as infiltration capacity increases, so the relation is inversely proportional. Option (a) is incorrect because direct proportionality would imply both increase together, which is opposite to the actual hydrologic behavior.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Thiessen Polygon method is used for estimation of missing rainfall record in a basin/ average rainfall over a basin
A)
estimation of missing rainfall record in a basin
B)
average rainfall over a basin
The Thiessen Polygon method is used to compute areal average rainfall over a basin by assigning weights to rain gauges based on their area of influence. It is not the standard method for estimating a missing rainfall record; missing rainfall is usually estimated using normal ratio method, arithmetic mean, or other interpolation methods.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Discharge hydrograph is a graphical representation of discharge versus:
A)
distance
B)
time
C)
area
D)
watershed
A discharge hydrograph shows how stream discharge changes with time at a given point on a river or channel. Hence, it is a plot of discharge versus time. The other options are not correct because discharge hydrographs are not typically drawn against distance, area, or watershed.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Choose the correct one: Terracing is the biological/mechanical measure for controlling erosion
A)
biological
B)
mechanical
Terracing is a mechanical (engineering) soil conservation measure because it involves reshaping the land into step-like levels to reduce slope length, slow runoff, and prevent soil erosion. Biological measures use vegetation such as grasses, trees, or cover crops to protect the soil, whereas terracing is a physical land treatment.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
The formula I = O + ΔS, Where I = inflow, O = Outflow and S = Storage, is used for expressing:
A)
hydrologic equation
B)
water balance equation
C)
evapo-transpiration
D)
infiltration in a given area
The relation I = O + ΔS represents continuity of mass in a hydrologic system: inflow equals outflow plus change in storage. This is the standard water balance equation. Option (a) is too general, while (c) evapo-transpiration and (d) infiltration are only components of the hydrologic cycle, not the equation itself.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
A term that is used to describe the potential for soil to be washed off from disturbed, de-vegetated areas and move with into surface waters during storms is:
A)
erositivity of rainfall
B)
erodibility of soil
The term refers to the ability of rain to cause soil erosion and transport detached soil from disturbed, de-vegetated areas into surface waters during storms. This is called rainfall erosivity.
- (a) Erositivity of rainfall: Correct, because it describes the erosive power/potential of rainfall.
- (b) Erodibility of soil: Incorrect, because erodibility refers to the susceptibility of soil itself to being eroded, not the erosive force of rainfall.
MES Departmental • 2016 • Engineering Paper-II
Write 'T' for correct statement and 'F' for false statement: Construction of bund is one of the most effect engineering measures of soil conservation.
A)
True
B)
False
Construction of bunds is an effective engineering measure for soil conservation because bunds slow down runoff, reduce soil erosion, and help retain moisture and sediment on खेत/field slopes. Therefore, the statement is correct. Option (b) is incorrect because the statement is not false.
