VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program
VESCP
- Administered by counties/cities (must), towns (may)
- MUST BE APPROVED
Stabilization
permanent or temporary soil stabilization shall be applied
to denuded areas within seven days after final grade is
reached on any portion of the site; temporary soil stabiliza-
Minimum Standard 1
tion shall be applied within seven days to denuded areas
that may not be at final grade but will remain dormant
for longer than 14 days; permanent stabilization shall be
applied to areas that are to be left dormant for more than
one year
- stabilize in 14 days
- temporarily seed
Site NOT at Final Grade
- mulch
- permanently stabilize if dormant > 1 year
- stabilize in 7 days (recommended immediately)
Site at Final Grade - permanently or temporarily seed and mulch
- mulch/matting/straw
Stock Piles, Waste and Borrow Areas
during construction, soil stock piles and borrow areas
shall be stabilized or protected with sediment trapping
Minimum Standard 2 measures
mulch prevents erosion by protecting the surface from
raindrop impact and silt fence intercepts and detains from
disturbed areas
Minimum Standard 3
,VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
Permanent Vegetation
permanent vegetation cover shall be established on de-
nuded areas not otherwise permanently stabilized (per-
manent vegetation shall not be considered established
until a ground cover is achieved that is uniform, mature
enough to survive, and will inhibit erosion *there is no %
associated with this*)
reduce erosion and decrease sediment yield from dis-
turbed area
this is the standard used to verify that a site is ready for
release of bonds or surety
First-Step Measures
Sediment basins and traps, perimeter dikes, sediment
barriers and other measures intended to trap sediment
shall be constructed as a first step in any land-disturbing
activity and shall be made functional before upslope land
disturbance takes place
a certain amount of initial land disturbance may be re-
Minimum Standard 4
quired to provide access for equipment to install the
perimeter controls, but site clearing and grading should
be kept to a minimum until the perimeter controls are in
place
intercepts and detains small amounts of sediment from
disturbed areas during construction operation to prevent
sediment from leaving the site and decrease velocity of
sheet flows and low-to-moderate level channel flow
Perimeter Controls
,VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
assures that sediment does not leave the perimeter of
the land-disturbing area once site clearing, grading, and
construction commences
Examples: silt fences, sediment traps, sediment basins,
construction entrance, temporary diversions, diversions
Earthen Structure Stabilization
stabilization measures shall be applied to earthen struc-
tures such as dams, dikes, and diversions immediately
Minimum Standard 5
after installation
reduce erosion and sedimentation and reduce damage
from sediment and runott to downstream or ott-site areas
Traps and Basins
Minimum Standard 6 sediment traps and basins shall be designed and con-
structed based upon the total drainage area (not just
disturbed area) to be served by the trap or basin
minimum storage capacity shall be 134 cubic yards per
acre of drainage area and shall only control drainage areas
Sediment Traps less than 3 acres
*stone outlet = trap*
surface runott from disturbed areas that is comprised
of flow from drainage areas greater than or equal to 3
acres shall be controlled by a basin; minimum storage
Sediment Basins capacity of a sediment basin shall be 134 cubic yards
per acre of drainage area; the outfall system shall, at a
minimum, maintain the structural integrity of the basin
during a 25-year storm of 24-hour duration; runott coef-
, VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
ficients used in runott calculations shall correspond to a
bare earth condition or those conditions expected to exist
while the sediment basin is utilized.
1. place near the lowest drainage points of a project
2. install as a first-step measure [MS-4]
Sediment Trapping Devises
3. stabilize immediately [MS-5]
4. must include outlet protection for basins [MS-11]
Cut and Fill Slopes
roughening the surface of the slope decreases runott,
lowers the velocity runott, increases water retention, and
leads to better seed germination
Minimum Standard 7
slopes that are found to be eroding excessively within
on year of permanent stabilization shall be provided with
additional slop stabilizing measures until the problem is
corrected
Concentrated Runott
shall not flow down cut or fill slopes unless contained with-
in an adequate temporary or permanent channel, flume
or slope drain structure
Minimum Standard 8
outlets of these drains need outlet protection to prevent
erosion from the concentrated flow
size of pipe depends on drainage area
temporarily conduct concentrated stormwater runott safe-
Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program
VESCP
- Administered by counties/cities (must), towns (may)
- MUST BE APPROVED
Stabilization
permanent or temporary soil stabilization shall be applied
to denuded areas within seven days after final grade is
reached on any portion of the site; temporary soil stabiliza-
Minimum Standard 1
tion shall be applied within seven days to denuded areas
that may not be at final grade but will remain dormant
for longer than 14 days; permanent stabilization shall be
applied to areas that are to be left dormant for more than
one year
- stabilize in 14 days
- temporarily seed
Site NOT at Final Grade
- mulch
- permanently stabilize if dormant > 1 year
- stabilize in 7 days (recommended immediately)
Site at Final Grade - permanently or temporarily seed and mulch
- mulch/matting/straw
Stock Piles, Waste and Borrow Areas
during construction, soil stock piles and borrow areas
shall be stabilized or protected with sediment trapping
Minimum Standard 2 measures
mulch prevents erosion by protecting the surface from
raindrop impact and silt fence intercepts and detains from
disturbed areas
Minimum Standard 3
,VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
Permanent Vegetation
permanent vegetation cover shall be established on de-
nuded areas not otherwise permanently stabilized (per-
manent vegetation shall not be considered established
until a ground cover is achieved that is uniform, mature
enough to survive, and will inhibit erosion *there is no %
associated with this*)
reduce erosion and decrease sediment yield from dis-
turbed area
this is the standard used to verify that a site is ready for
release of bonds or surety
First-Step Measures
Sediment basins and traps, perimeter dikes, sediment
barriers and other measures intended to trap sediment
shall be constructed as a first step in any land-disturbing
activity and shall be made functional before upslope land
disturbance takes place
a certain amount of initial land disturbance may be re-
Minimum Standard 4
quired to provide access for equipment to install the
perimeter controls, but site clearing and grading should
be kept to a minimum until the perimeter controls are in
place
intercepts and detains small amounts of sediment from
disturbed areas during construction operation to prevent
sediment from leaving the site and decrease velocity of
sheet flows and low-to-moderate level channel flow
Perimeter Controls
,VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
assures that sediment does not leave the perimeter of
the land-disturbing area once site clearing, grading, and
construction commences
Examples: silt fences, sediment traps, sediment basins,
construction entrance, temporary diversions, diversions
Earthen Structure Stabilization
stabilization measures shall be applied to earthen struc-
tures such as dams, dikes, and diversions immediately
Minimum Standard 5
after installation
reduce erosion and sedimentation and reduce damage
from sediment and runott to downstream or ott-site areas
Traps and Basins
Minimum Standard 6 sediment traps and basins shall be designed and con-
structed based upon the total drainage area (not just
disturbed area) to be served by the trap or basin
minimum storage capacity shall be 134 cubic yards per
acre of drainage area and shall only control drainage areas
Sediment Traps less than 3 acres
*stone outlet = trap*
surface runott from disturbed areas that is comprised
of flow from drainage areas greater than or equal to 3
acres shall be controlled by a basin; minimum storage
Sediment Basins capacity of a sediment basin shall be 134 cubic yards
per acre of drainage area; the outfall system shall, at a
minimum, maintain the structural integrity of the basin
during a 25-year storm of 24-hour duration; runott coef-
, VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Test Questions and Answers Graded A+
ficients used in runott calculations shall correspond to a
bare earth condition or those conditions expected to exist
while the sediment basin is utilized.
1. place near the lowest drainage points of a project
2. install as a first-step measure [MS-4]
Sediment Trapping Devises
3. stabilize immediately [MS-5]
4. must include outlet protection for basins [MS-11]
Cut and Fill Slopes
roughening the surface of the slope decreases runott,
lowers the velocity runott, increases water retention, and
leads to better seed germination
Minimum Standard 7
slopes that are found to be eroding excessively within
on year of permanent stabilization shall be provided with
additional slop stabilizing measures until the problem is
corrected
Concentrated Runott
shall not flow down cut or fill slopes unless contained with-
in an adequate temporary or permanent channel, flume
or slope drain structure
Minimum Standard 8
outlets of these drains need outlet protection to prevent
erosion from the concentrated flow
size of pipe depends on drainage area
temporarily conduct concentrated stormwater runott safe-
