In the context of water bodies, what is surface water?

Surface water refers to any body of water that is visible on the surface of the land. This includes lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs. These water bodies are significant for various ecological processes, recreational activities, and as sources of drinking water. They are directly exposed to the atmosphere, which means they can be influenced by environmental conditions such as precipitation, evaporation, temperature variations, and human activities.

The other options describe different concepts related to water. Underground water or subsurface water pertains to water found below the earth’s surface, which is not visible on land. Chemically treated water refers to water that has undergone processes to remove impurities or contaminants, such as in municipal water treatment facilities, but is not specific to its state as surface water. Water from glacial sources indicates a specific origin of water, such as meltwater from glaciers; however, it does not define surface water generally. Thus, while the other options may relate to water, they do not accurately describe surface water like the correct choice does.