surface water
Americannoun
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water that accumulates on the surface of the ground, such as during flooding or when the ground becomes saturated.
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the water of lakes, rivers, streams, etc., as opposed to groundwater.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These systems, scattered across Altadena, “pose significant risks of groundwater contamination, surface water pollution and potential public health hazards,” according to a statement from the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
As the surface water temperature rises in the Pacific Ocean, the tuna will migrate to cooler areas.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
The surface water temperature on Wednesday was 68.5 degrees — 7.7 degrees above average for the date.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
As the atmosphere thinned, the planet cooled and much of its surface water disappeared.
From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026
Since he and Otto could unstick small things from the time freeze, Sheed supposed he could put the mirror under the fountain’s surface; water was just a bunch of tiny drops put together.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
