CESSWI Exam Questions and Answers
100% Pass
Erosion - ✔✔process in which, by the actions of wind and/or water, soil particles
detached and transported
Sediment - ✔✔eroded material suspended in wind or water
Sedimentation - ✔✔deposition of eroded material
Types of Erosion - ✔✔splash
sheet
rill
gully
channel
Splash erosion - ✔✔raindrop impact energy is enough to dislodge surface sediments
sheet erosion - ✔✔caused by rain splash detaching soil particles lifting them up and
removing them by shallow "sheets" of water flowing down the sloped soil surface
Rill Erosion - ✔✔as flow concentrates, small channels begin to form in the soil surface
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,Gully Erosion - ✔✔Formed when runoff cuts rills deeper and wider or when flows from
several rills come together and form a large channels
Channel Erosion - ✔✔may become unstable due to increased flows or changes in
upstream sediment load
Natural erosion - ✔✔generally considered due to the influences of climate on the
surface of the earth
Accelerated erosion - ✔✔natural erosion plus human activities
What problems can accelerated erosion cause? - ✔✔Unrestricted development
removal of surface cover
increased imperviousness
poor stewardship
Problems associated with construction related erosion - ✔✔problems for down slope
property owners
nuisance problems on streets
clog streams and storm drains
increased turbidity downstream
cover sensitive habitat with sediment
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,Identify instream damages of sediment - ✔✔destruction of spawning areas, food
sources, habitat
direct toxicity to wildlife
lake degradation
filling of navigation channels
impacts to commercial fisheries
reduction of water storage capacities
Suspended material - ✔✔sediment can affect light penetration, channel stability,
fisheries and habitat
Name Off stream damages - ✔✔Increased flood hazards
increased water treatment costs
decreased capacity in conveyance facilities
higher infrastructure maintenance costs
What has increased the amount of impervious surface in our watersheds? -
✔✔Urbanization and development
priority pollutants include - ✔✔nutrients
pathogens
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, heavy metals
toxics
sediment
salts
detergents
hydro carbons
Clean Water Act (CWA) - ✔✔Federal Water Pollution Control Act enacted to restore
and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the US
administered by USEPA
Section 401 - ✔✔water quality certification
requires applicant, including any construction or operation of a facility, to obtain
certification to discharge ANY pollutant.
administered by the State
Section 402 - ✔✔NPDES Regs
NPDES - ✔✔National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
MS4 - ✔✔Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
100% Pass
Erosion - ✔✔process in which, by the actions of wind and/or water, soil particles
detached and transported
Sediment - ✔✔eroded material suspended in wind or water
Sedimentation - ✔✔deposition of eroded material
Types of Erosion - ✔✔splash
sheet
rill
gully
channel
Splash erosion - ✔✔raindrop impact energy is enough to dislodge surface sediments
sheet erosion - ✔✔caused by rain splash detaching soil particles lifting them up and
removing them by shallow "sheets" of water flowing down the sloped soil surface
Rill Erosion - ✔✔as flow concentrates, small channels begin to form in the soil surface
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,Gully Erosion - ✔✔Formed when runoff cuts rills deeper and wider or when flows from
several rills come together and form a large channels
Channel Erosion - ✔✔may become unstable due to increased flows or changes in
upstream sediment load
Natural erosion - ✔✔generally considered due to the influences of climate on the
surface of the earth
Accelerated erosion - ✔✔natural erosion plus human activities
What problems can accelerated erosion cause? - ✔✔Unrestricted development
removal of surface cover
increased imperviousness
poor stewardship
Problems associated with construction related erosion - ✔✔problems for down slope
property owners
nuisance problems on streets
clog streams and storm drains
increased turbidity downstream
cover sensitive habitat with sediment
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
,Identify instream damages of sediment - ✔✔destruction of spawning areas, food
sources, habitat
direct toxicity to wildlife
lake degradation
filling of navigation channels
impacts to commercial fisheries
reduction of water storage capacities
Suspended material - ✔✔sediment can affect light penetration, channel stability,
fisheries and habitat
Name Off stream damages - ✔✔Increased flood hazards
increased water treatment costs
decreased capacity in conveyance facilities
higher infrastructure maintenance costs
What has increased the amount of impervious surface in our watersheds? -
✔✔Urbanization and development
priority pollutants include - ✔✔nutrients
pathogens
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, heavy metals
toxics
sediment
salts
detergents
hydro carbons
Clean Water Act (CWA) - ✔✔Federal Water Pollution Control Act enacted to restore
and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the US
administered by USEPA
Section 401 - ✔✔water quality certification
requires applicant, including any construction or operation of a facility, to obtain
certification to discharge ANY pollutant.
administered by the State
Section 402 - ✔✔NPDES Regs
NPDES - ✔✔National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
MS4 - ✔✔Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
