CPSWQ EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS!!!
What is the current approach in the U.S. for stormwater management? Answer
- -The NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System)
What is a watershed? What is the size of a watershed called? Answer - -A
watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt into creeks,
streams and rivers and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays
and ocean.
Size is called a drainage basin or catchment
What is point source pollution and give an example? Answer - -Point source is
any direct and detectable or confined transmission of a pollutant. Ex) pipe,
channel, tunnel, well, container
What is a non-point source pollution + example? Answer - -Non-point source is
less direct such as stormwater runoff.
Is stormwater run-off point source or non-point source? Answer - -Non point
source
The Clean Water Act is an amendment to what? When was it established?
Answer - An amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
,What did the 1972 Clean Water Act establish/aim to do? Answer - -the CWA
established the NPDES and aims to eliminate all discharges of pollution into
navigable waters. To protect fish, wildlife and recreation.
What did the 1977 Effluent Limitations Guidelines aim to do? Answer -
developed BMPs (Best Management Practices) and NURP (National Urban
Runoff Program)
What is the difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the NPDES? Answer - -
Phase 1: permit for discharges from medium - large MS4s with a population of
100,000 or more. Any construction greater than 5 acres
-Phase 2: more strict, included small MS4s, all construction greater than 1 acre
now need permit coverage
The 2006 Rapanose case gave the EPA and agencies the power to define and
assert jurisdiction over which waters? Answer - - Traditional navigable waters,
wetlands adjacent to trad navigable waters, non-navigable tributaries of
traditional navigable waters that have at least continuous flow seasonally,
wetlands that directly run alongside the tributaries mentioned before
The EPA will NOT assert jurisdiction over what? Answer - Swales and erosional
features with low volume, ditches (including roadside ditches) UNLESS there is
a significant analysis that it is next to or may affect a navigable water
downstream!
What are the three types of Physical pollutants? Answer - -sediment,
temperature, gross solids
Name one source and one impact of sediment pollutants. Answer - -sources:
construction sites, streambank erosion, agriculture
, -impacts: reduces light transmission, smothers fish habitat, transports
pollutants, affects recreation(muddy water)
Name one source and one impact of thermal pollutants. Answer - -sources:
power plants, industrial sites, removal of trees (hot rip-rap)
-impacts: threat to fish and aquatic insects, affects the chemistry/rate of other
pollutants
What are examples of Chemical pollutants? Answer - -Nutrients (Nitrogen and
Phosphorus), Metals, Hydrocarbons (oils and fuels), Salts, Organic Compounds
(paint thinners, solvents, degreasing and curing agents, Pesticides
-Biological pollutants = bacteria and viruses
-Oxygen Demands = hypoxic, anoxic conditions
Name one source and one impact of nutrient pollutants Answer - -source:
agriculture/landscaping - fertilizer, atmospheric deposition, septic or sewer
leaks
-impact: algae blooms (hypoxia), eutrophication, methemoglobinemia (nitrate
only)
Name one source and one impact of metal pollutants (copper, zinc, lead,
cadmium, iron) Answer - -sources: roads, building materials, industrial
activities, atmospheric deposition
-impacts: toxic to aquatic life, bioaccumulation, threat to human health (ex.
Mercury in fish)
SOLUTIONS!!!
What is the current approach in the U.S. for stormwater management? Answer
- -The NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System)
What is a watershed? What is the size of a watershed called? Answer - -A
watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt into creeks,
streams and rivers and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays
and ocean.
Size is called a drainage basin or catchment
What is point source pollution and give an example? Answer - -Point source is
any direct and detectable or confined transmission of a pollutant. Ex) pipe,
channel, tunnel, well, container
What is a non-point source pollution + example? Answer - -Non-point source is
less direct such as stormwater runoff.
Is stormwater run-off point source or non-point source? Answer - -Non point
source
The Clean Water Act is an amendment to what? When was it established?
Answer - An amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
,What did the 1972 Clean Water Act establish/aim to do? Answer - -the CWA
established the NPDES and aims to eliminate all discharges of pollution into
navigable waters. To protect fish, wildlife and recreation.
What did the 1977 Effluent Limitations Guidelines aim to do? Answer -
developed BMPs (Best Management Practices) and NURP (National Urban
Runoff Program)
What is the difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the NPDES? Answer - -
Phase 1: permit for discharges from medium - large MS4s with a population of
100,000 or more. Any construction greater than 5 acres
-Phase 2: more strict, included small MS4s, all construction greater than 1 acre
now need permit coverage
The 2006 Rapanose case gave the EPA and agencies the power to define and
assert jurisdiction over which waters? Answer - - Traditional navigable waters,
wetlands adjacent to trad navigable waters, non-navigable tributaries of
traditional navigable waters that have at least continuous flow seasonally,
wetlands that directly run alongside the tributaries mentioned before
The EPA will NOT assert jurisdiction over what? Answer - Swales and erosional
features with low volume, ditches (including roadside ditches) UNLESS there is
a significant analysis that it is next to or may affect a navigable water
downstream!
What are the three types of Physical pollutants? Answer - -sediment,
temperature, gross solids
Name one source and one impact of sediment pollutants. Answer - -sources:
construction sites, streambank erosion, agriculture
, -impacts: reduces light transmission, smothers fish habitat, transports
pollutants, affects recreation(muddy water)
Name one source and one impact of thermal pollutants. Answer - -sources:
power plants, industrial sites, removal of trees (hot rip-rap)
-impacts: threat to fish and aquatic insects, affects the chemistry/rate of other
pollutants
What are examples of Chemical pollutants? Answer - -Nutrients (Nitrogen and
Phosphorus), Metals, Hydrocarbons (oils and fuels), Salts, Organic Compounds
(paint thinners, solvents, degreasing and curing agents, Pesticides
-Biological pollutants = bacteria and viruses
-Oxygen Demands = hypoxic, anoxic conditions
Name one source and one impact of nutrient pollutants Answer - -source:
agriculture/landscaping - fertilizer, atmospheric deposition, septic or sewer
leaks
-impact: algae blooms (hypoxia), eutrophication, methemoglobinemia (nitrate
only)
Name one source and one impact of metal pollutants (copper, zinc, lead,
cadmium, iron) Answer - -sources: roads, building materials, industrial
activities, atmospheric deposition
-impacts: toxic to aquatic life, bioaccumulation, threat to human health (ex.
Mercury in fish)
