VA DEQ SWM INSPECTOR PAPER LATEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔4 Topographic features influencing site erodibility - ✔✔slope grade, length, shape,
and orientation
✔✔Slope gradient associated with a LOW erosion hazard - ✔✔0-7%
✔✔Slope gradient associated with a MODERATE erosion hazard - ✔✔7-15%
✔✔Slope gradient associated with a HIGH erosion hazard - ✔✔15% and over
✔✔Slope length where 0-7% slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔300ft
✔✔Slope length where 7-15% slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔150ft
✔✔Slope length where 15-25% slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔75ft
✔✔Slope length where 25% and over slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔0ft
✔✔Is erosion more likely on a concave or a convex slope? - ✔✔Convex. (These are
more likely to be constructed, whereas concave are more likely to be naturally
occurring. Concave slope increases water velocity along its path moreso than a
concave slope.)
✔✔Slope orientation or aspect affect on erosion - ✔✔South facing slopes are
warmer/drier due to sun exposure, so vegetation may be difficult to establish.
Oppositely, north facing slopes will receive less sunlight and hold onto moisture, which
could also reduce vegetation establishment.
✔✔Runoff - ✔✔rate of rainfall exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil
, ✔✔Effects of sediment discharge - ✔✔- Sediment shades lower layer of waterway and
kills aquatic vegetation
- Sediment can attach nutrients - eutrophication
- Sediment can plug gills of fish
- Reduction of fishing stocks + economic impact
- sediment settles into drinking reservoirs, water treatment costs increase + dredging of
reservoir becomes increasingly necessary
- sedimentation of shipping channels, leads to dredging and deepening of channels
$$$$
✔✔Land Disturbing Activity (LDA) - ✔✔any man-made change to the land surface that
may result in soil erosion from water or wind and the movement of sediment into state
waters or onto lands in the Commonwealth, including, but not limited to, clearing,
grading, excavating, transporting, and filling of land
✔✔Regulated LDAs - ✔✔10000 ft2 or greater are subject to laws/reg of VESCP or
VESMP; CBPA regulated LDAs are 2500 ft2 or greater; LDAs of 1 acre or more in a
VESCP are subject to the VESMA requirements which will be administered by DEQ
✔✔LDA Exemptions for VESMPs only - ✔✔required to comply with soil erosion control
requirements, but not required to comply w/ water quantity or water quality technical
criteria; e.g., state/federal reclamation programs to return abandoned property to
agricultural/open land use, maintenance to maintain original grade/line, hydraulic
capacity, etc., or discharges from an LDA to a sanitary sewer/CSO
✔✔Who determines the validity of a claim of an exempt status by a property owner? -
✔✔the program administrator
✔✔Erosion Impact Area - ✔✔area of land NOT ASSOCIATED with a current land-
disturbing activity but contributing to sedimentation; e.g., an old borrow pit generating
sediment onto an adjacent property, so required to have an approved ESC or ESM plan
✔✔Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas - ✔✔include a resource protection area and a
resource management area
✔✔Agreement in lieu of a plan - ✔✔contract between the VESMP or VESCP and the
owner that specifies conservation measures that must be implemented in the
construction of a single-family detached residential structure or a farm building or
structure
✔✔Variance - ✔✔VESMP or VESCP authority can waive or modify any of the
requirements that are deemed inappropriate or too restrictive for site conditions and
grant this
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔4 Topographic features influencing site erodibility - ✔✔slope grade, length, shape,
and orientation
✔✔Slope gradient associated with a LOW erosion hazard - ✔✔0-7%
✔✔Slope gradient associated with a MODERATE erosion hazard - ✔✔7-15%
✔✔Slope gradient associated with a HIGH erosion hazard - ✔✔15% and over
✔✔Slope length where 0-7% slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔300ft
✔✔Slope length where 7-15% slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔150ft
✔✔Slope length where 15-25% slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔75ft
✔✔Slope length where 25% and over slope gradient becomes CRITICAL - ✔✔0ft
✔✔Is erosion more likely on a concave or a convex slope? - ✔✔Convex. (These are
more likely to be constructed, whereas concave are more likely to be naturally
occurring. Concave slope increases water velocity along its path moreso than a
concave slope.)
✔✔Slope orientation or aspect affect on erosion - ✔✔South facing slopes are
warmer/drier due to sun exposure, so vegetation may be difficult to establish.
Oppositely, north facing slopes will receive less sunlight and hold onto moisture, which
could also reduce vegetation establishment.
✔✔Runoff - ✔✔rate of rainfall exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil
, ✔✔Effects of sediment discharge - ✔✔- Sediment shades lower layer of waterway and
kills aquatic vegetation
- Sediment can attach nutrients - eutrophication
- Sediment can plug gills of fish
- Reduction of fishing stocks + economic impact
- sediment settles into drinking reservoirs, water treatment costs increase + dredging of
reservoir becomes increasingly necessary
- sedimentation of shipping channels, leads to dredging and deepening of channels
$$$$
✔✔Land Disturbing Activity (LDA) - ✔✔any man-made change to the land surface that
may result in soil erosion from water or wind and the movement of sediment into state
waters or onto lands in the Commonwealth, including, but not limited to, clearing,
grading, excavating, transporting, and filling of land
✔✔Regulated LDAs - ✔✔10000 ft2 or greater are subject to laws/reg of VESCP or
VESMP; CBPA regulated LDAs are 2500 ft2 or greater; LDAs of 1 acre or more in a
VESCP are subject to the VESMA requirements which will be administered by DEQ
✔✔LDA Exemptions for VESMPs only - ✔✔required to comply with soil erosion control
requirements, but not required to comply w/ water quantity or water quality technical
criteria; e.g., state/federal reclamation programs to return abandoned property to
agricultural/open land use, maintenance to maintain original grade/line, hydraulic
capacity, etc., or discharges from an LDA to a sanitary sewer/CSO
✔✔Who determines the validity of a claim of an exempt status by a property owner? -
✔✔the program administrator
✔✔Erosion Impact Area - ✔✔area of land NOT ASSOCIATED with a current land-
disturbing activity but contributing to sedimentation; e.g., an old borrow pit generating
sediment onto an adjacent property, so required to have an approved ESC or ESM plan
✔✔Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas - ✔✔include a resource protection area and a
resource management area
✔✔Agreement in lieu of a plan - ✔✔contract between the VESMP or VESCP and the
owner that specifies conservation measures that must be implemented in the
construction of a single-family detached residential structure or a farm building or
structure
✔✔Variance - ✔✔VESMP or VESCP authority can waive or modify any of the
requirements that are deemed inappropriate or too restrictive for site conditions and
grant this
