CESSWI QUESTION AND ANSWERS
NEWEST UPADATE 2025/2026
Natural erosion - CORRECT ANSWER - generally considered due to the influences of
climate on the surface of the earth
Accelerated erosion - CORRECT ANSWER - natural erosion plus human activities
What problems can accelerated erosion cause? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Unrestricted development removal of surface cover increased imperviousness poor
stewardship
Problems associated with construction related erosion - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER
- sediment can affect light
penetration,
channel stability, fisheries and habitat
1
,Name Off stream damages - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Urbanization and development
priority pollutants include - CORRECT ANSWER - nutrients
pathogens heavy metals toxics sediment
salts
detergents
hydro
carbons
Clean Water Act (CWA) - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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
2
,Section 402 - CORRECT ANSWER - NPDES Regs
NPDES - CORRECT ANSWER - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
MS4 - CORRECT ANSWER - Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems
NURP - CORRECT ANSWER - Nationwide Urban Runoff Program
1987-1983 led to EPA
regulating stormwater
Phase I
(1987 - 1992) - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER - enacted April 1992,
identified minimum requirements for NPDES stormwater permits
Section 404 - CORRECT ANSWER - regulates dredge / fill permitting into waters of the
US administered by USACE
CZARA - CORRECT 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
3
, stormwater - CORRECT ANSWER - stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface
runoff and drainage
NPDES stormwater regulation say - CORRECT 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....
waters of the US - CORRECT ANSWER - waters used for interstate or foreign
commerce all interstate waters including wetlands
all other waters, the use ofr degeration of which would affect interstate or foreign
commerce impoundments of waters
territorial sea
wetlands adjacent to waters above
Phase II - CORRECT ANSWER - December 1999, require construction sites disturbing
equal to or greater than 1 acre and less than 5 to control pollutants in stormwater runoff.
SWMP - CORRECT ANSWER - Stormwater Management Plan
6 minimum measures of SWMP - CORRECT ANSWER - Public Education and
Outreach
Public Participation / Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Construction Site Runoff Control
Post Construction Runoff Control
Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping
4
NEWEST UPADATE 2025/2026
Natural erosion - CORRECT ANSWER - generally considered due to the influences of
climate on the surface of the earth
Accelerated erosion - CORRECT ANSWER - natural erosion plus human activities
What problems can accelerated erosion cause? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Unrestricted development removal of surface cover increased imperviousness poor
stewardship
Problems associated with construction related erosion - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER
- sediment can affect light
penetration,
channel stability, fisheries and habitat
1
,Name Off stream damages - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Urbanization and development
priority pollutants include - CORRECT ANSWER - nutrients
pathogens heavy metals toxics sediment
salts
detergents
hydro
carbons
Clean Water Act (CWA) - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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
2
,Section 402 - CORRECT ANSWER - NPDES Regs
NPDES - CORRECT ANSWER - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
MS4 - CORRECT ANSWER - Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems
NURP - CORRECT ANSWER - Nationwide Urban Runoff Program
1987-1983 led to EPA
regulating stormwater
Phase I
(1987 - 1992) - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER - enacted April 1992,
identified minimum requirements for NPDES stormwater permits
Section 404 - CORRECT ANSWER - regulates dredge / fill permitting into waters of the
US administered by USACE
CZARA - CORRECT 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
3
, stormwater - CORRECT ANSWER - stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface
runoff and drainage
NPDES stormwater regulation say - CORRECT 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....
waters of the US - CORRECT ANSWER - waters used for interstate or foreign
commerce all interstate waters including wetlands
all other waters, the use ofr degeration of which would affect interstate or foreign
commerce impoundments of waters
territorial sea
wetlands adjacent to waters above
Phase II - CORRECT ANSWER - December 1999, require construction sites disturbing
equal to or greater than 1 acre and less than 5 to control pollutants in stormwater runoff.
SWMP - CORRECT ANSWER - Stormwater Management Plan
6 minimum measures of SWMP - CORRECT ANSWER - Public Education and
Outreach
Public Participation / Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Construction Site Runoff Control
Post Construction Runoff Control
Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping
4
