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.
Other Word Forms
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
Most of the water supply in northern areas of the UK comes from surface water - reservoirs and rivers.
From BBC • May 1, 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
In the middle of the hamlet I came upon a well whose surface water lay thick with clotted scum.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
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.
