Stormwater Management Exam 1 UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
List the 5 characteristics that make water unique - CORRECT ANSWER -stable, high
specific heat, great buffer, expands at freezing, excellent solvent
Why is it critical that water stores a lot of energy? - CORRECT ANSWER -allows large
bodies of water to cool or heat Earth to maintain a temperature
List the elements of the hydrologic cycle including driving forces - CORRECT ANSWER
-1/2-Evapotranspiration
3-Condensation
4-Precipitation
5-Runoff
6-Inflitration
7-Subsurface flow
8-Base flow
9-Concentrated surface flow
10-interflow (seepage)
Driving forces:
1-Sun
2-Earth's rotation
3-Gravity
4-Residual heat from Earth
What path does most of the rainfall onto the land surface take in getting to the ocean? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Runoff
, Which hydrologic cycle element acts as a valve, essentially controlling how fast the water
moves? - CORRECT ANSWER -infiltration
Give an example of why it is important to think of the hydrologic cycle over the 3-D landscape,
and not just at a point - CORRECT ANSWER -at any given time you can find water in
any of the different locations, it is never in one place and its always moving. It has not starting
point
How do higher stormwater flow rates generally affect streams? - CORRECT ANSWER -
In urban areas: increase in sediment, causes narrower, deeper, straighter streams
In rural areas: Wider, shallower, windier streams
Describe why stormwater tends to move a lot of contaminants. List at least 3 problems caused by
sediment as a water contaminant. - CORRECT ANSWER -Most pollutants/contaminants
are on the surface.
1. clogging of streams
2. impact on aquatic environment
3. sediment carries pollutants with it
What are the 2 main problems caused by nitrogen as a water contaminant? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Causes aquatic life growth, aquatic plants consume nutrients and die,
consumed by other organisms, causes nitrite
1. Eutrophicaton
2. Converts to nitrites which displaces oxygen in blood ("blue baby syndrome")
What is the main water quality problem caused by phosphorus as a water contaminant? -
CORRECT ANSWER -eutrophication increases-lower dissolved O2 levels
List at least 3 common sources of nitrogen and phosphorus contamination of water. - CORRECT
ANSWER -septic systems, animal feed lots, agricultural fertilizers, manure, industrial
waste waters, sanitary landfills, and garbage dumps
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
List the 5 characteristics that make water unique - CORRECT ANSWER -stable, high
specific heat, great buffer, expands at freezing, excellent solvent
Why is it critical that water stores a lot of energy? - CORRECT ANSWER -allows large
bodies of water to cool or heat Earth to maintain a temperature
List the elements of the hydrologic cycle including driving forces - CORRECT ANSWER
-1/2-Evapotranspiration
3-Condensation
4-Precipitation
5-Runoff
6-Inflitration
7-Subsurface flow
8-Base flow
9-Concentrated surface flow
10-interflow (seepage)
Driving forces:
1-Sun
2-Earth's rotation
3-Gravity
4-Residual heat from Earth
What path does most of the rainfall onto the land surface take in getting to the ocean? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Runoff
, Which hydrologic cycle element acts as a valve, essentially controlling how fast the water
moves? - CORRECT ANSWER -infiltration
Give an example of why it is important to think of the hydrologic cycle over the 3-D landscape,
and not just at a point - CORRECT ANSWER -at any given time you can find water in
any of the different locations, it is never in one place and its always moving. It has not starting
point
How do higher stormwater flow rates generally affect streams? - CORRECT ANSWER -
In urban areas: increase in sediment, causes narrower, deeper, straighter streams
In rural areas: Wider, shallower, windier streams
Describe why stormwater tends to move a lot of contaminants. List at least 3 problems caused by
sediment as a water contaminant. - CORRECT ANSWER -Most pollutants/contaminants
are on the surface.
1. clogging of streams
2. impact on aquatic environment
3. sediment carries pollutants with it
What are the 2 main problems caused by nitrogen as a water contaminant? - CORRECT
ANSWER -Causes aquatic life growth, aquatic plants consume nutrients and die,
consumed by other organisms, causes nitrite
1. Eutrophicaton
2. Converts to nitrites which displaces oxygen in blood ("blue baby syndrome")
What is the main water quality problem caused by phosphorus as a water contaminant? -
CORRECT ANSWER -eutrophication increases-lower dissolved O2 levels
List at least 3 common sources of nitrogen and phosphorus contamination of water. - CORRECT
ANSWER -septic systems, animal feed lots, agricultural fertilizers, manure, industrial
waste waters, sanitary landfills, and garbage dumps
