CLASS A WATER OPERATOR COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔When developing a runoff and SESC strategy, remember that _____________ and
________ _______________ control is more effective and cost efficient than
_______________ control. (Unit 2) - ✔✔runoff; soil erosion; sediment
✔✔Without proper planning, a construction generally results in an _______________ in
runoff. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Increase.
✔✔____________________ controls rarely reduce ________________ or
___________________. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Sediment; runoff; erosion.
✔✔Fine sediment particles, such as __________ and ___________, are difficult or
impossible to capture with standard ________________ control techniques. It is
particularly important to emphasize __________________ and __________________
control on sites with fine textured soils. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Silts, clays; sediment; runoff,
erosion.
✔✔List five construction practices that minimize runoff and control erosion: (Unit 2) -
✔✔
✔✔List five sediment control practices: (Unit 2) - ✔✔
✔✔_____________, sometimes called _________________ is part of scheduling. This
is where grading and stabilization are finished in one area before proceeding to the next
area. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Staging, phasing.
✔✔The slope of a diversion channel must be adequate to provide good positive
__________________ but not so great to create water velocities that will
_____________ the diversion channel. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Drainage, erode.
✔✔Overland flow that is diverted must be disposed of without causing
__________________ or ___________________ _____________________ where it is
undesirable. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Erosion, depositing sediment.
✔✔Runoff may be disposed of onto ___________________________ vegetation. (Unit
2) - ✔✔Well-established.
✔✔___________________ _____________________ structures are used to carry
runoff from one level to another. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Grade stabilization.
, ✔✔______________________ occurs when water erodes small channels under or
along the side of a water conveyance structure. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Piping.
✔✔____________ ____________ are often used in roadside ditches to reduce the
velocity of water. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Check dams.
✔✔The center of the check dam should ways be ___ ___________ ___________ than
the outside edges to prevent scouring round the structure. (Unit 2) - ✔✔9 inches lower.
✔✔The size of the stone used in check dams should be ________________ as slope
and/or velocity increases. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Increased.
✔✔When anticipated channel velocities are too great to establish grass, the channel
can be lined with erosion control _______________________ or _____________
________________________ mats. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Blankets/mats, turf reinforcement.
✔✔Sediment basins should be at least __________ times as long as wide. If this is not
possible, ____________ or ________________________ should be placed in the basin
to increase the water's travel distance. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Four; baffles or convolutions.
✔✔___________ tends to settle rapidly in a sediment basin, but ______ and
_________ sized particles may never settle out. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Sand; clay, silt.
✔✔Some methods used to control wind erosion include:
- placing ________ _________ perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction
- keeping the soil ____________
- spraying _____________ binders on the soil surface. (Unit 2) - ✔✔- snow fence
- moist
- chemical
✔✔To be effective, all BMPs must be periodically __________________,
______________________, and/or replaced when necessary. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Inspected,
maintained.
✔✔The best way to prevent erosion is to remove the minimum amount of
_________________________ and re-establish it as soon as possible. (Unit 3) -
✔✔Vegetation.
✔✔A critical area is ____________________ to stabilize with vegetation. Whenever
possible, critical areas should not be ______________________. (Unit 3) - ✔✔Difficult;
disturbed.
2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔When developing a runoff and SESC strategy, remember that _____________ and
________ _______________ control is more effective and cost efficient than
_______________ control. (Unit 2) - ✔✔runoff; soil erosion; sediment
✔✔Without proper planning, a construction generally results in an _______________ in
runoff. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Increase.
✔✔____________________ controls rarely reduce ________________ or
___________________. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Sediment; runoff; erosion.
✔✔Fine sediment particles, such as __________ and ___________, are difficult or
impossible to capture with standard ________________ control techniques. It is
particularly important to emphasize __________________ and __________________
control on sites with fine textured soils. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Silts, clays; sediment; runoff,
erosion.
✔✔List five construction practices that minimize runoff and control erosion: (Unit 2) -
✔✔
✔✔List five sediment control practices: (Unit 2) - ✔✔
✔✔_____________, sometimes called _________________ is part of scheduling. This
is where grading and stabilization are finished in one area before proceeding to the next
area. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Staging, phasing.
✔✔The slope of a diversion channel must be adequate to provide good positive
__________________ but not so great to create water velocities that will
_____________ the diversion channel. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Drainage, erode.
✔✔Overland flow that is diverted must be disposed of without causing
__________________ or ___________________ _____________________ where it is
undesirable. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Erosion, depositing sediment.
✔✔Runoff may be disposed of onto ___________________________ vegetation. (Unit
2) - ✔✔Well-established.
✔✔___________________ _____________________ structures are used to carry
runoff from one level to another. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Grade stabilization.
, ✔✔______________________ occurs when water erodes small channels under or
along the side of a water conveyance structure. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Piping.
✔✔____________ ____________ are often used in roadside ditches to reduce the
velocity of water. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Check dams.
✔✔The center of the check dam should ways be ___ ___________ ___________ than
the outside edges to prevent scouring round the structure. (Unit 2) - ✔✔9 inches lower.
✔✔The size of the stone used in check dams should be ________________ as slope
and/or velocity increases. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Increased.
✔✔When anticipated channel velocities are too great to establish grass, the channel
can be lined with erosion control _______________________ or _____________
________________________ mats. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Blankets/mats, turf reinforcement.
✔✔Sediment basins should be at least __________ times as long as wide. If this is not
possible, ____________ or ________________________ should be placed in the basin
to increase the water's travel distance. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Four; baffles or convolutions.
✔✔___________ tends to settle rapidly in a sediment basin, but ______ and
_________ sized particles may never settle out. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Sand; clay, silt.
✔✔Some methods used to control wind erosion include:
- placing ________ _________ perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction
- keeping the soil ____________
- spraying _____________ binders on the soil surface. (Unit 2) - ✔✔- snow fence
- moist
- chemical
✔✔To be effective, all BMPs must be periodically __________________,
______________________, and/or replaced when necessary. (Unit 2) - ✔✔Inspected,
maintained.
✔✔The best way to prevent erosion is to remove the minimum amount of
_________________________ and re-establish it as soon as possible. (Unit 3) -
✔✔Vegetation.
✔✔A critical area is ____________________ to stabilize with vegetation. Whenever
possible, critical areas should not be ______________________. (Unit 3) - ✔✔Difficult;
disturbed.
