VA DEQ ESC INSPECTOR EXAM 2026|2027 UPDATED QUESTIONS WITH
DETAILED VERIFIED ANSWERS (100%) | ALREADY GRADED A+
Stormwater Discharges from Land Disturbing Activities - CORRECT ANSWER -permitted under
Construction General Permit (GP) through NPDES
Statewide Regulatory Erosion and Sediment Control Program - CORRECT ANSWER -began in 1960s
(sedimentation problems were becoming increasingly evident in areas undergoing fast-paced urban
development - Northern VA and Tidewater region)
1971 - Governor's Council on Environment (reported to State Attorney Andrew P. Miller) created task force
to study issue of sedimentation across state -> verified statewide sedimentation problems and
recommended a statewide program be developed to address erosion and sedimentation
1973 - VESCL adopted by General Assembly as addendum to Soil and Water Conservation District Law
requiring the Commission to establish statewide criteria, standards, and guidelines for the effective
control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and nonagricultural runoff from regulated land-disturbing
activities that must be met in any VESCP to prevent unreasonable degradation of properties, stream
channels, waters, and other natural resources; required all Counties and Cities in VA to adopt a local ESC
program by July 1, 1974
1990 - General Assembly passed amendment requiring Soil and Water Conservation Commission to
promulgate regulations for the administration, implementation and enforcement of the VESCL (effective
May 1, 1990)
1|Page
,2012 - House Bill 1065 (integration bill) made some significant changes to the VESCL and VA Stormwater
Mangement Act; required to align the VESCL with the SWMA nad that all counties, cities, and towns with
regulated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) programs adopt and administer local VA
Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) effectively creating statewide stormwater management
program that operates at the local level, much like what has been the case for the VESCP
2013 - amendments to VESCL to reflect Soil and Water Conservation Board and Department of
Conservation and Recreation to State Water Control Board and Department of Environmental Qual
Who has to be certified under the Local Erosion and Sediment Control Programs? - CORRECT ANSWER -1.
program administrators
2. inspectors
3. plan reviewers
VESCL requires personnel working in a VESCP to obtain and maintain a certificate of competence in the
area of erosion and sediment control (9VAC25-850)
Combined Administrator - CORRECT ANSWER -anyone who is responsible for performing the combined
duties of program adminstrator, plan reviewer and project inspector of a VESCP authority
800 Hour Work Experience Form - CORRECT ANSWER -individuals with at least 800 hours of on-the-job
work experience as a stormwater management program administrator, inspector, plan reviewer, or
combined administrator may complete the form on the DEQ website instead of completing the DEQ
training courses
2|Page
,*still must pass the exam
Provisional Certification - CORRECT ANSWER -from the day you complete your first required training
courses and obtain a passing score on certification exam
allows individuals to continue working for an authority while they seek full certification
*individuals can only be provisionally certified ONCE per classification (this is a difference between
erosion and sediment control vs stormwater management)
Your certificate is good for how long? - CORRECT ANSWER -3 years
Convex slopes - CORRECT ANSWER -slopes that are steeper at the lower end
erosion more on convex slopes
Concave slopes - CORRECT ANSWER -slopes which flatten at the lower end
usually natural
3|Page
, Slope orientation - CORRECT ANSWER -south and southwest facing slopes are usually warmer and drier
because of sun exposure and exposure to warmer winds; vegetation may be sparser, and establishment
of new vegetation on south and southwest facing slopes is generally more difficult than northern slopes;
northern slopes are cooler, less exposed to the sun and usually moister, therefore it has different
challenges in establishing vegetation on a northern slope
Runoff - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when rate of rainfall exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil
amount of runoff depends upon :
1. amount and intensity of rainfall
2. character of soil surface impacted by rainfall
3. amount and type of ground cover
Sheet Flow - CORRECT ANSWER -a shallow layer of water flowing more or less uniformly over the land.
Can effectively transport sediment particles kept in suspension from the action of falling raindrops in a
disturbed area.
Concentrated Flow - CORRECT ANSWER -A result of the depth of sheet flow and irregularities in the soil
surface (low spots, depressions, rocks, plant stems, roots, etc.).
4|Page
DETAILED VERIFIED ANSWERS (100%) | ALREADY GRADED A+
Stormwater Discharges from Land Disturbing Activities - CORRECT ANSWER -permitted under
Construction General Permit (GP) through NPDES
Statewide Regulatory Erosion and Sediment Control Program - CORRECT ANSWER -began in 1960s
(sedimentation problems were becoming increasingly evident in areas undergoing fast-paced urban
development - Northern VA and Tidewater region)
1971 - Governor's Council on Environment (reported to State Attorney Andrew P. Miller) created task force
to study issue of sedimentation across state -> verified statewide sedimentation problems and
recommended a statewide program be developed to address erosion and sedimentation
1973 - VESCL adopted by General Assembly as addendum to Soil and Water Conservation District Law
requiring the Commission to establish statewide criteria, standards, and guidelines for the effective
control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and nonagricultural runoff from regulated land-disturbing
activities that must be met in any VESCP to prevent unreasonable degradation of properties, stream
channels, waters, and other natural resources; required all Counties and Cities in VA to adopt a local ESC
program by July 1, 1974
1990 - General Assembly passed amendment requiring Soil and Water Conservation Commission to
promulgate regulations for the administration, implementation and enforcement of the VESCL (effective
May 1, 1990)
1|Page
,2012 - House Bill 1065 (integration bill) made some significant changes to the VESCL and VA Stormwater
Mangement Act; required to align the VESCL with the SWMA nad that all counties, cities, and towns with
regulated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) programs adopt and administer local VA
Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) effectively creating statewide stormwater management
program that operates at the local level, much like what has been the case for the VESCP
2013 - amendments to VESCL to reflect Soil and Water Conservation Board and Department of
Conservation and Recreation to State Water Control Board and Department of Environmental Qual
Who has to be certified under the Local Erosion and Sediment Control Programs? - CORRECT ANSWER -1.
program administrators
2. inspectors
3. plan reviewers
VESCL requires personnel working in a VESCP to obtain and maintain a certificate of competence in the
area of erosion and sediment control (9VAC25-850)
Combined Administrator - CORRECT ANSWER -anyone who is responsible for performing the combined
duties of program adminstrator, plan reviewer and project inspector of a VESCP authority
800 Hour Work Experience Form - CORRECT ANSWER -individuals with at least 800 hours of on-the-job
work experience as a stormwater management program administrator, inspector, plan reviewer, or
combined administrator may complete the form on the DEQ website instead of completing the DEQ
training courses
2|Page
,*still must pass the exam
Provisional Certification - CORRECT ANSWER -from the day you complete your first required training
courses and obtain a passing score on certification exam
allows individuals to continue working for an authority while they seek full certification
*individuals can only be provisionally certified ONCE per classification (this is a difference between
erosion and sediment control vs stormwater management)
Your certificate is good for how long? - CORRECT ANSWER -3 years
Convex slopes - CORRECT ANSWER -slopes that are steeper at the lower end
erosion more on convex slopes
Concave slopes - CORRECT ANSWER -slopes which flatten at the lower end
usually natural
3|Page
, Slope orientation - CORRECT ANSWER -south and southwest facing slopes are usually warmer and drier
because of sun exposure and exposure to warmer winds; vegetation may be sparser, and establishment
of new vegetation on south and southwest facing slopes is generally more difficult than northern slopes;
northern slopes are cooler, less exposed to the sun and usually moister, therefore it has different
challenges in establishing vegetation on a northern slope
Runoff - CORRECT ANSWER -occurs when rate of rainfall exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil
amount of runoff depends upon :
1. amount and intensity of rainfall
2. character of soil surface impacted by rainfall
3. amount and type of ground cover
Sheet Flow - CORRECT ANSWER -a shallow layer of water flowing more or less uniformly over the land.
Can effectively transport sediment particles kept in suspension from the action of falling raindrops in a
disturbed area.
Concentrated Flow - CORRECT ANSWER -A result of the depth of sheet flow and irregularities in the soil
surface (low spots, depressions, rocks, plant stems, roots, etc.).
4|Page
