CESSWI EXAM 2025 QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-process in which, by the actions of wind and/or water, soil particles
detached and transported
Sediment - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-eroded material suspended in wind or water
Sedimentation - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-deposition of eroded material
Types of Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-splash
sheet
rill
gully
channel
Splash erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-raindrop impact energy is enough to dislodge surface sediments
sheet erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-as flow concentrates, small channels begin to form in the soil
surface
Gully Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Formed when runoff cuts rills deeper and wider or when flows
from several rills come together and form a large channels
Channel Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-may become unstable due to increased flows or changes in
upstream sediment load
,Natural erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-generally considered due to the influences of climate on the
surface of the earth
Accelerated erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-natural erosion plus human activities
What problems can accelerated erosion cause? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Unrestricted development
removal of surface cover
increased imperviousness
poor stewardship
Problems associated with construction related erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-problems for down slope
property owners
nuisance problems on streets
clog streams and storm drains
increased turbidity downstream
cover sensitive habitat with sediment
Identify instream damages of sediment - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-sediment can affect light penetration, channel stability,
fisheries and habitat
Name Off stream damages - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Urbanization and development
priority pollutants include - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-nutrients
pathogens
heavy metals
toxics
sediment
salts
detergents
hydro carbons
Clean Water Act (CWA) - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-NPDES Regs
NPDES - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
, MS4 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems
NURP - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Nationwide Urban Runoff Program
1987-1983
led to EPA regulating stormwater
Phase I
(1987 - 1992) - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-already covered by NPDES permit
facilities that engage in industrial activity
Large municipal storm systems (>250,000)
Medium municipal storms systems (100 - 250 K)
facilities that EPA said were significant contributors
Storm Water Implementation Rule - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-enacted April 1992, identified minimum
requirements for NPDES stormwater permits
Section 404 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-regulates dredge / fill permitting into waters of the US
administered by USACE
CZARA - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) of 1990
requires coastal zone states to develop Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs
section 6217 nonpoint source in coastal areas
stormwater - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface runoff and
drainage
NPDES stormwater regulation say - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-stormwater must be in any discernable,
confined, and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, well,
discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated feeding operation....
CORRECT ANSWERS
Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-process in which, by the actions of wind and/or water, soil particles
detached and transported
Sediment - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-eroded material suspended in wind or water
Sedimentation - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-deposition of eroded material
Types of Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-splash
sheet
rill
gully
channel
Splash erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-raindrop impact energy is enough to dislodge surface sediments
sheet erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-as flow concentrates, small channels begin to form in the soil
surface
Gully Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Formed when runoff cuts rills deeper and wider or when flows
from several rills come together and form a large channels
Channel Erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-may become unstable due to increased flows or changes in
upstream sediment load
,Natural erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-generally considered due to the influences of climate on the
surface of the earth
Accelerated erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-natural erosion plus human activities
What problems can accelerated erosion cause? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Unrestricted development
removal of surface cover
increased imperviousness
poor stewardship
Problems associated with construction related erosion - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-problems for down slope
property owners
nuisance problems on streets
clog streams and storm drains
increased turbidity downstream
cover sensitive habitat with sediment
Identify instream damages of sediment - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-sediment can affect light penetration, channel stability,
fisheries and habitat
Name Off stream damages - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Urbanization and development
priority pollutants include - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-nutrients
pathogens
heavy metals
toxics
sediment
salts
detergents
hydro carbons
Clean Water Act (CWA) - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-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 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-NPDES Regs
NPDES - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
, MS4 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems
NURP - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Nationwide Urban Runoff Program
1987-1983
led to EPA regulating stormwater
Phase I
(1987 - 1992) - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-already covered by NPDES permit
facilities that engage in industrial activity
Large municipal storm systems (>250,000)
Medium municipal storms systems (100 - 250 K)
facilities that EPA said were significant contributors
Storm Water Implementation Rule - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-enacted April 1992, identified minimum
requirements for NPDES stormwater permits
Section 404 - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-regulates dredge / fill permitting into waters of the US
administered by USACE
CZARA - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) of 1990
requires coastal zone states to develop Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs
section 6217 nonpoint source in coastal areas
stormwater - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface runoff and
drainage
NPDES stormwater regulation say - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-stormwater must be in any discernable,
confined, and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, well,
discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated feeding operation....
