Stormwater Management Exam 1With Correct Answers|Verified
List the 5 characteristics that make water unique - stable, high specific heat, great buffer,
expands at freezing, excellent solvent
Why is it critical that water stores a lot of energy? - allows large bodies of water to cool
or heat Earth to maintain a temperature
List the elements of the hydrologic cycle including driving forces - 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? -
Runoff
Which hydrologic cycle element acts as a valve, essentially controlling how fast the water
moves? - 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 - 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? - 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. - 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? - 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? -
eutrophication increases-lower dissolved O2 levels
List at least 3 common sources of nitrogen and phosphorus contamination of water. -
septic systems, animal feed lots, agricultural fertilizers, manure, industrial waste waters,
sanitary landfills, and garbage dumps
List the 5 characteristics that make water unique - stable, high specific heat, great buffer,
expands at freezing, excellent solvent
Why is it critical that water stores a lot of energy? - allows large bodies of water to cool
or heat Earth to maintain a temperature
List the elements of the hydrologic cycle including driving forces - 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? -
Runoff
Which hydrologic cycle element acts as a valve, essentially controlling how fast the water
moves? - 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 - 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? - 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. - 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? - 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? -
eutrophication increases-lower dissolved O2 levels
List at least 3 common sources of nitrogen and phosphorus contamination of water. -
septic systems, animal feed lots, agricultural fertilizers, manure, industrial waste waters,
sanitary landfills, and garbage dumps
