Final answer:
Storm water is the term for natural precipitation that contacts surfaces and has not been put to beneficial use, typically becoming surface runoff which joins streams and rivers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The natural precipitation that has contacted a surface and grade or below grade and has not been put to beneficial use is known as storm water.
Storm water is different from groundwater and subsoil water which percolate into the soil and can be part of the underground reservoirs known as aquifers. Unlike storm water, groundwater can eventually seep out into bodies of water, be utilized by plant roots, or flow to an aquifer. Storm water typically flows over the surface of the ground and eventually collects in streams, rivers, and finally, the oceans. This surface runoff is a critical part of the water cycle, which includes evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.