CERTIFIED STORM WATER OPERATOR
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ areas planted in the fall should be inspected _____________________.
Answer: in the spring
◍ On steep slopes or areas of concentrated flow, ____ ____ or ____ _____
_____ may be required to properly secure the seeding..
Answer: mulch blankets, turf reinforcement mats
◍ The physical factors affecting erosion are:.
Answer: Climate, Vegetative Cover, Soils, Slope
◍ it is important to emphasize ______ and ______ control on sites with fine
textured soil..
Answer: run off, erosion
◍ USGS maps are also known as:.
Answer: quadrangle or topographic maps
◍ SESC controls must minimize on-site _____, off-site _______, and reduce
all _____ leaving the site to ___-____ velocities..
Answer: erosion, sedimentation, non-erosive
◍ what is required for all earth changes that disturb more than one acre or are
within 500 ft of a water's edge?.
Answer: an SESC permit
◍ during construction, temporary SESC measures must be....
Answer: maintained daily
◍ particles settling in a sediment basin.
Answer: sand settles rapidly, but clay and silt may never settle out
,◍ fine sediment particles, such as silts and clays, are difficult to capture with
standard.....
Answer: sediment control techniques
◍ without proper planning, construction generally results in an....
Answer: increase in runoff
◍ It is much more effective to prevent ______ than to control the ______
generated from erosion..
Answer: Erosion, Sediment
◍ ______ erosion is the removal of a uniform layer of soil from rain splash
and storm water runoff.
Answer: sheet
◍ Slope ________, _________, and ________ affect erodibility..
Answer: Steepness, Length, Roughness
◍ In some areas, more soil is lost from _____ erosion than from water
erosion..
Answer: wind
◍ Major erosive forces are water and ____..
Answer: wind
◍ If the project is not completed and permanently stabilized before fall, ensure
that _______________ measures are in place and _________ throughout the
winter..
Answer: temporary, inspected
◍ In some areas, more soil is lost from _____ erosion than from water
erosion..
Answer: wind
◍ immediately following seeding, a mulch of clean straw should be applied at
____ tons per acre..
Answer: two
, ◍ amount of phosphorous in a 50 lb bag of 20-10-5.
Answer: five lbs
◍ examples of a sensitive area.
Answer: lakes, streams, wetlands, and other areas that require special
protection
◍ how can you correct droughty soil?.
Answer: by selecting drought-resistant plants, and mixing silt and clay soil
or organic matter with the existing soil.
◍ term for when grading and stabilization are finished in one area before
proceeding to the next.
Answer: staging/phasing
◍ any violation of the terms and conditions of permit by rule subjects the
permittee to....
Answer: fines and penalties of up to $25,000 each day
◍ structure.
Answer: the degree to which individual soil particles adhere to each other
◍ smaller/lighter particles, such as clays, are _____ to settle out but ______ to
transport.
Answer: slow, easy
◍ watershed.
Answer: the area of land that drains to a given point
◍ SESC measures.
Answer: must be properly installed and maintained per standard details or
plan specifications and are effective. the inspector must be proactive and
anticipate or assess potential problems that may occur
◍ inspections by the SESC inspector should be both.....
Answer: scheduled and unscheduled
◍ critical areas.
Answer: areas that are difficult to stabilize with vegetation, should not be
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ areas planted in the fall should be inspected _____________________.
Answer: in the spring
◍ On steep slopes or areas of concentrated flow, ____ ____ or ____ _____
_____ may be required to properly secure the seeding..
Answer: mulch blankets, turf reinforcement mats
◍ The physical factors affecting erosion are:.
Answer: Climate, Vegetative Cover, Soils, Slope
◍ it is important to emphasize ______ and ______ control on sites with fine
textured soil..
Answer: run off, erosion
◍ USGS maps are also known as:.
Answer: quadrangle or topographic maps
◍ SESC controls must minimize on-site _____, off-site _______, and reduce
all _____ leaving the site to ___-____ velocities..
Answer: erosion, sedimentation, non-erosive
◍ what is required for all earth changes that disturb more than one acre or are
within 500 ft of a water's edge?.
Answer: an SESC permit
◍ during construction, temporary SESC measures must be....
Answer: maintained daily
◍ particles settling in a sediment basin.
Answer: sand settles rapidly, but clay and silt may never settle out
,◍ fine sediment particles, such as silts and clays, are difficult to capture with
standard.....
Answer: sediment control techniques
◍ without proper planning, construction generally results in an....
Answer: increase in runoff
◍ It is much more effective to prevent ______ than to control the ______
generated from erosion..
Answer: Erosion, Sediment
◍ ______ erosion is the removal of a uniform layer of soil from rain splash
and storm water runoff.
Answer: sheet
◍ Slope ________, _________, and ________ affect erodibility..
Answer: Steepness, Length, Roughness
◍ In some areas, more soil is lost from _____ erosion than from water
erosion..
Answer: wind
◍ Major erosive forces are water and ____..
Answer: wind
◍ If the project is not completed and permanently stabilized before fall, ensure
that _______________ measures are in place and _________ throughout the
winter..
Answer: temporary, inspected
◍ In some areas, more soil is lost from _____ erosion than from water
erosion..
Answer: wind
◍ immediately following seeding, a mulch of clean straw should be applied at
____ tons per acre..
Answer: two
, ◍ amount of phosphorous in a 50 lb bag of 20-10-5.
Answer: five lbs
◍ examples of a sensitive area.
Answer: lakes, streams, wetlands, and other areas that require special
protection
◍ how can you correct droughty soil?.
Answer: by selecting drought-resistant plants, and mixing silt and clay soil
or organic matter with the existing soil.
◍ term for when grading and stabilization are finished in one area before
proceeding to the next.
Answer: staging/phasing
◍ any violation of the terms and conditions of permit by rule subjects the
permittee to....
Answer: fines and penalties of up to $25,000 each day
◍ structure.
Answer: the degree to which individual soil particles adhere to each other
◍ smaller/lighter particles, such as clays, are _____ to settle out but ______ to
transport.
Answer: slow, easy
◍ watershed.
Answer: the area of land that drains to a given point
◍ SESC measures.
Answer: must be properly installed and maintained per standard details or
plan specifications and are effective. the inspector must be proactive and
anticipate or assess potential problems that may occur
◍ inspections by the SESC inspector should be both.....
Answer: scheduled and unscheduled
◍ critical areas.
Answer: areas that are difficult to stabilize with vegetation, should not be
