Hydrology Practice Test

Runoff typically follows the path determined by the slope of the surface it flows over, including pavement. When a surface is sloped, the water will naturally move downhill due to gravity, and this movement generally aligns with the true slope of that surface. If the pavement has a consistent incline, runoff will indeed run parallel to this slope, as the water will seek the lowest point.

While there may be variations based on different factors such as surface roughness, the presence of obstacles, or design features like curbs, the general behavior of runoff is to follow the contours created by the slope. In most situations, particularly where the pavement is designed to efficiently divert water, runoff will closely align to the true slope, making the assertion accurate under typical circumstances. The concept applies broadly, rather than being limited only to urban areas or conditioned by other variables.