CESSWI Exam Questions and Answers
100% Pass
Read before beginning:
Cesswi Exam Content- from Gen. Principals Rev. Manual Nov 2023:
*see G.P.R.M Vol. 1 pgs 52-60 for more details*
- Management Practices (BMPs): 32-39%
- Documentation, Communication, & Safety: 22-27%
- Inspection Fundamentals and Duties: 12-15%
- Plan & Site Management: 9-11%
- Inspection Elements for Construction: 7-9%
- General Permits: 4-6%
- Stormwater Monitoring & Sampling: 1-3%
- Hydrology & Drainage Principals: 1-2%
- Rules & Regs, Soil Mechanics & Soil Science Principals, and Site Climatic Conditions &
Rainfall Amounts comprise <1%
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,This flashcard set aims to include information from every section listed above, focusing
on the high % sections. This flashcard set is not all-encompassing. Detailed review of
the Gen. Principals Rev. Manual, Nov 2023, Vol. 1-3 & CESSWI Rev. Presentation is
highly recommended. - ✔✔good luck!
What are the soil classifications based off of? - ✔✔Percent of sand, silt, and clay present
in soil
How many soil texture classifications are there? - ✔✔12
What are the hydrologic soil groups classified based off of? - ✔✔Infiltration rates
What are the hydrologic soil groups? - ✔✔A, B, C, D
What are the soil horizons classified based off of? - ✔✔Primary material (eg clay,
organic matter, minerals, parent material (rock), bedrock)
What are the master horizons? - ✔✔O, A, E, B, C, R
What are the four types of erosion? - ✔✔Raindrop, sheet, rill & gully, streambank
Define soil detachment - ✔✔the dislodgment of soil particles from the soil mass through
erosive forces
Define sediment transport - ✔✔the movement of sediment particles (by water or wind)
once they have been detached
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
,Define erosion - ✔✔the weathering down of parent material and the detachment by the
action of wind, water, ice and gravity
What is the erosion rate of soil for a site by water dependent on? - ✔✔on-site
characteristics, soil physical and chemical variables, and land management practices
what is sediment deposition (sedimentation)? - ✔✔the process by which soil particles
that have been suspended within the water or air column settle back to the ground
surface
what equation is used to estimate the annual average erosion rate for a site? -
✔✔RUSLE
Brain Break! (answer a question completely unrelated to stormwater)
What is the largest desert in the world? - ✔✔Antarctica Desert (don't believe me? google
it!)
what can sedimentation be a result of? - ✔✔reduced flow rates/flow velocities, higher
frictional forces, increased sediment load within runoff
site characteristics that directly impact the likelihood for soils to erode: - ✔✔soil type,
vegetative cover, topography, climate
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, define hydrology - ✔✔the study of water, including its occurrence, circulation,
distribution, chemical and physical properties, and the reaction of those properties to
the environment
parameters that characterize the hydrology of a site include; - ✔✔precipitation,
evaporation, infiltration, runoff
the hydrologic cycle describes the movement of water... - ✔✔above the surface, on the
surface, and below the surface
the hydrologic cycle is a... - ✔✔continuous process (no start or end)
water will exist in all 3 states: - ✔✔vapor, liquid, solid
define watershed (NOAA def): - ✔✔a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to
creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays,
and the ocean
A specified rainfall depth over a specified duration - ✔✔design storm
A land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and
eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean - ✔✔watershed
define slope - ✔✔slope/gradients is defined as a number, typically a %, that describes
the direction and steepness of a surface
typical method of slope calculation - ✔✔rise over run ( slope% = rise/run )
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
100% Pass
Read before beginning:
Cesswi Exam Content- from Gen. Principals Rev. Manual Nov 2023:
*see G.P.R.M Vol. 1 pgs 52-60 for more details*
- Management Practices (BMPs): 32-39%
- Documentation, Communication, & Safety: 22-27%
- Inspection Fundamentals and Duties: 12-15%
- Plan & Site Management: 9-11%
- Inspection Elements for Construction: 7-9%
- General Permits: 4-6%
- Stormwater Monitoring & Sampling: 1-3%
- Hydrology & Drainage Principals: 1-2%
- Rules & Regs, Soil Mechanics & Soil Science Principals, and Site Climatic Conditions &
Rainfall Amounts comprise <1%
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,This flashcard set aims to include information from every section listed above, focusing
on the high % sections. This flashcard set is not all-encompassing. Detailed review of
the Gen. Principals Rev. Manual, Nov 2023, Vol. 1-3 & CESSWI Rev. Presentation is
highly recommended. - ✔✔good luck!
What are the soil classifications based off of? - ✔✔Percent of sand, silt, and clay present
in soil
How many soil texture classifications are there? - ✔✔12
What are the hydrologic soil groups classified based off of? - ✔✔Infiltration rates
What are the hydrologic soil groups? - ✔✔A, B, C, D
What are the soil horizons classified based off of? - ✔✔Primary material (eg clay,
organic matter, minerals, parent material (rock), bedrock)
What are the master horizons? - ✔✔O, A, E, B, C, R
What are the four types of erosion? - ✔✔Raindrop, sheet, rill & gully, streambank
Define soil detachment - ✔✔the dislodgment of soil particles from the soil mass through
erosive forces
Define sediment transport - ✔✔the movement of sediment particles (by water or wind)
once they have been detached
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
,Define erosion - ✔✔the weathering down of parent material and the detachment by the
action of wind, water, ice and gravity
What is the erosion rate of soil for a site by water dependent on? - ✔✔on-site
characteristics, soil physical and chemical variables, and land management practices
what is sediment deposition (sedimentation)? - ✔✔the process by which soil particles
that have been suspended within the water or air column settle back to the ground
surface
what equation is used to estimate the annual average erosion rate for a site? -
✔✔RUSLE
Brain Break! (answer a question completely unrelated to stormwater)
What is the largest desert in the world? - ✔✔Antarctica Desert (don't believe me? google
it!)
what can sedimentation be a result of? - ✔✔reduced flow rates/flow velocities, higher
frictional forces, increased sediment load within runoff
site characteristics that directly impact the likelihood for soils to erode: - ✔✔soil type,
vegetative cover, topography, climate
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, define hydrology - ✔✔the study of water, including its occurrence, circulation,
distribution, chemical and physical properties, and the reaction of those properties to
the environment
parameters that characterize the hydrology of a site include; - ✔✔precipitation,
evaporation, infiltration, runoff
the hydrologic cycle describes the movement of water... - ✔✔above the surface, on the
surface, and below the surface
the hydrologic cycle is a... - ✔✔continuous process (no start or end)
water will exist in all 3 states: - ✔✔vapor, liquid, solid
define watershed (NOAA def): - ✔✔a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to
creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays,
and the ocean
A specified rainfall depth over a specified duration - ✔✔design storm
A land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and
eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean - ✔✔watershed
define slope - ✔✔slope/gradients is defined as a number, typically a %, that describes
the direction and steepness of a surface
typical method of slope calculation - ✔✔rise over run ( slope% = rise/run )
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
