VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Questions and Answers Graded A+
1. VESCP Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program
- Administered by counties/cities (must), towns (may)
- MUST BE APPROVED
2. Minimum Stan- Stabilization
dard 1
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 stabilization 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
3. Site NOT at Final - stabilize in 14 days
Grade - temporarily seed
- mulch
- permanently stabilize if dormant > 1 year
4. Site at Final - stabilize in 7 days (recommended immediately)
Grade - permanently or temporarily seed and mulch
- mulch/matting/straw
5. Minimum Stan- Stock Piles, Waste and Borrow Areas
dard 2
during construction, soil stock piles and borrow areas shall be stabilized or
protected with sediment trapping measures
mulch prevents erosion by protecting the surface from raindrop impact and silt
fence intercepts and detains from disturbed areas
6. Minimum Stan- Permanent Vegetation
dard 3
permanent vegetation cover shall be established on denuded areas not otherwise
, VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Questions and Answers Graded A+
permanently stabilized (permanent vegetation shall not be considered estab-
lished 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 disturbed area
this is the standard used to verify that a site is ready for release of bonds or surety
7. Minimum Stan- First-Step Measures
dard 4
Sediment basins and traps, perimeter dikes, sediment barriers and other mea-
sures intended to trap sediment shall be constructed as a first step in any land-dis-
turbing activity and shall be made functional before upslope land disturbance
takes place
a certain amount of initial land disturbance may be required 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
8. Perimeter Con- assures that sediment does not leave the perimeter of the land-disturbing area
trols once site clearing, grading, and construction commences
Examples: silt fences, sediment traps, sediment basins, construction entrance,
temporary diversions, diversions
9. Minimum Stan- Earthen Structure Stabilization
dard 5
stabilization measures shall be applied to earthen structures such as dams, dikes,
and diversions immediately after installation
, VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Questions and Answers Graded A+
reduce erosion and sedimentation and reduce damage from sediment and runott
to downstream or ott-site areas
10. Minimum Stan- Traps and Basins
dard 6
sediment traps and basins shall be designed and constructed based upon the
total drainage area (not just disturbed area) to be served by the trap or basin
11. Sediment Traps minimum storage capacity shall be 134 cubic yards per acre of drainage area and
shall only control drainage areas less than 3 acres
*stone outlet = trap*
12. Sediment Basins 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
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 coeflcients used in
runott calculations shall correspond to a bare earth condition or those conditions
expected to exist while the sediment basin is utilized.
13. Sediment Trap- 1. place near the lowest drainage points of a project
ping Devises
2. install as a first-step measure [MS-4]
3. stabilize immediately [MS-5]
4. must include outlet protection for basins [MS-11]
14. Minimum Stan- Cut and Fill Slopes
dard 7
roughening the surface of the slope decreases runott, lowers the velocity runott,
increases water retention, and leads to better seed germination
1. VESCP Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program
- Administered by counties/cities (must), towns (may)
- MUST BE APPROVED
2. Minimum Stan- Stabilization
dard 1
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 stabilization 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
3. Site NOT at Final - stabilize in 14 days
Grade - temporarily seed
- mulch
- permanently stabilize if dormant > 1 year
4. Site at Final - stabilize in 7 days (recommended immediately)
Grade - permanently or temporarily seed and mulch
- mulch/matting/straw
5. Minimum Stan- Stock Piles, Waste and Borrow Areas
dard 2
during construction, soil stock piles and borrow areas shall be stabilized or
protected with sediment trapping measures
mulch prevents erosion by protecting the surface from raindrop impact and silt
fence intercepts and detains from disturbed areas
6. Minimum Stan- Permanent Vegetation
dard 3
permanent vegetation cover shall be established on denuded areas not otherwise
, VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Questions and Answers Graded A+
permanently stabilized (permanent vegetation shall not be considered estab-
lished 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 disturbed area
this is the standard used to verify that a site is ready for release of bonds or surety
7. Minimum Stan- First-Step Measures
dard 4
Sediment basins and traps, perimeter dikes, sediment barriers and other mea-
sures intended to trap sediment shall be constructed as a first step in any land-dis-
turbing activity and shall be made functional before upslope land disturbance
takes place
a certain amount of initial land disturbance may be required 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
8. Perimeter Con- assures that sediment does not leave the perimeter of the land-disturbing area
trols once site clearing, grading, and construction commences
Examples: silt fences, sediment traps, sediment basins, construction entrance,
temporary diversions, diversions
9. Minimum Stan- Earthen Structure Stabilization
dard 5
stabilization measures shall be applied to earthen structures such as dams, dikes,
and diversions immediately after installation
, VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam Questions and Answers Graded A+
reduce erosion and sedimentation and reduce damage from sediment and runott
to downstream or ott-site areas
10. Minimum Stan- Traps and Basins
dard 6
sediment traps and basins shall be designed and constructed based upon the
total drainage area (not just disturbed area) to be served by the trap or basin
11. Sediment Traps minimum storage capacity shall be 134 cubic yards per acre of drainage area and
shall only control drainage areas less than 3 acres
*stone outlet = trap*
12. Sediment Basins 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
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 coeflcients used in
runott calculations shall correspond to a bare earth condition or those conditions
expected to exist while the sediment basin is utilized.
13. Sediment Trap- 1. place near the lowest drainage points of a project
ping Devises
2. install as a first-step measure [MS-4]
3. stabilize immediately [MS-5]
4. must include outlet protection for basins [MS-11]
14. Minimum Stan- Cut and Fill Slopes
dard 7
roughening the surface of the slope decreases runott, lowers the velocity runott,
increases water retention, and leads to better seed germination
