What is surface water?

Surface water refers to any body of water that is found on the Earth's surface, including rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. This definition encompasses various forms of standing or flowing water that are directly accessible and observable, making option B accurate. Surface water is crucial for numerous ecological systems, as well as for human uses such as agriculture, recreation, and drinking water supply.

The other categories of water mentioned in the other options describe different types of water sources. Water found beneath the ground is classified as groundwater, which exists in aquifers and is crucial for many regions, especially where surface water is scarce. Water vapor in the atmosphere represents a transient state of water in the form of gas, part of the hydrological cycle, but does not relate to surface water directly. Lastly, while reservoirs store water, they are typically artificial bodies created to hold surface water or groundwater for human use, but they do not represent surface water on their own.