NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying Practice Exam

What is the term for the process of forming new land through alluvium deposited by water?

1. Subsidence

2. Accretion

3. Erosion

4. Reliction

The correct answer is: Accretion

The process of forming new land through alluvium deposited by water is referred to as accretion. Accretion occurs when sediment carried by a body of water, such as a river or ocean current, is deposited in a different location, leading to the gradual buildup of soil and land over time. This process can naturally increase the land area, creating new landforms or expanding existing ones. Accretion is often seen along riverbanks, deltas, and coastal areas where sediment is continuously deposited, allowing for the extension of land outward from the original shoreline or bank. Understanding accretion is essential in surveying and land management, as it impacts property boundaries and land use rights, particularly in disputes relating to the ownership of newly formed land. The other terms involve different geological or hydrological processes. Subsidence refers to the sinking of the ground due to various factors, including the extraction of resources or soil compaction. Erosion involves the wearing away of soil and rock by wind, water, or ice, leading to the loss of land rather than its formation. Reliction describes the gradual receding of water, which can expose land as water levels fall, but it is not specifically about the deposition of alluvial material that creates new land. Hence