Use this quiz to test your knowledge of Stormwater BMPs.
What is a watershed?
���� All the land right next to a stream or lake
���� All the land areas that drains to a stream or lake
���� Lowland areas surrounding a lake or stream
���� None of the above
Nonpoint Source pollutants include:
���� Pathogens, Sediment, and Temperature
���� Sediment, Nutrients, and Groundwater
���� Impervious Surfaces, Litter, and Pathogens
���� All of the Above
Which effects does sediment have on streams or lakes?
���� Clouds up water
���� Smothers fish/insect habitat
���� Clogs fish gills
���� Carries phosphorus (P) and mercury (Hg ), and other
contaminants
���� All of the above
What is the number one water quality problem in the U.S.?
���� Point sources of pollution
���� Nonpoint source pollution
���� Neither
Only extremely high levels of sediment can harm fish in lakes and
streams.
���� True
���� False
The purpose of providing erosion and sediment control is to:
���� cause undue hardship and expense on the developer
and contractor.
���� provide jobs for government employees.
���� give environmental activists something to do.
���� provide a means of construction without harming the
environment through sediment pollution.
Who is responsible for controlling sediment pollution?
���� The inspector
���� Whoever is the easiest to blame
���� The owner of the project and the general
contractor/operator responsible for the site
���� The downstream property owner
The “first line of defense” in an erosion control
program is:
���� Perimeter controls such as silt fence
���� Retaining existing vegetation
���� Sediment traps or basins
���� Inlet controls
Vegetative cover controls erosion by:
���� Shielding soil surfaces from raindrops
���� Roots holding soil
���� Slowing runoff velocity
���� All of the above
Construction site inspections are not necessary during the winter.
���� True
���� False
This type of erosion occurs as the flow in rills comes together in
larger and larger channels:
���� Sheet
���� Rill
���� Gully
���� Channel
It is much more effective to control sediment than to prevent erosion.
���� True
���� False
Cleanout of a temporary sediment basin is necessary when sediment
accumulation has reached __________ of the designed outlet’s
height.
���� ½
���� All
���� ¼
���� ¾
Silt fences are superior to straw bales because:
���� They do not have to be trenched in.
���� They can be placed up and down a slope as well as
across a slope.
���� They last longer.
���� They do not require frequent inspection and
maintenance.
The benefits of cover (i.e., mulch) include:
���� Protecting the soil from rain splash
���� Enhancing the soil infiltration rate
���� Slowing surface runoff velocities
���� All of the above
Sediment tracked onto roads by construction activity must be cleaned
up:
���� By the end of each work week
���� Within 24 hours of discovery
���� Twice a day
���� Only if a neighbor complains
The NPDES Construction Storm Water permit requires that if a silt
fence is knocked down, it needs to be replaced:
���� Within 12 hours
���� Immediately
���� Within 24 hours or as soon as field conditions allow
access
���� Within 72 hours
Silt fence must be installed on the downslope side(s) of a site:
���� Within 24 hours of any upgradient land disturbance
���� Within 2 days of land disturbance
���� Before any up gradient land disturbance begins
���� Within 1 week of land disturbance
Clay soils are less permeable than sandy soils.
���� True
���� False
A stabilized construction entrance:
���� Is best constructed with 1-1/2”to 3”
crushed stone
���� Can have geotextile fabric underneath the crushed
stone
���� Needs continual maintenance
���� All of the above
Sediment degrades stream habitats by:
���� Filling in deep pools which give fish protective
cover
���� Covering over gravel bottoms used by fish to deposit
eggs
���� Filling in the stream channel, causing more frequent
flooding and bank erosion
���� All of the above
NPDES is an abbreviation of:
���� Natural Protection of Developed Erosion Sites
���� National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
���� National Pollutant Development and Elimination
System
���� National Policy for Discharge of Erosion and
Sediment
Erosion is the influence of:
���� Rainfall on the surface of the earth
���� Wind on the surface of the earth
���� Snow melt on the surface of the earth
���� All of the above
Factors that influence erosion include:
���� Rainfall/climate
���� Erodibility of the soil
���� Slope length and steepness
���� All of the above
The use of native plants for permanent cover is encouraged because:
���� The root systems are very shallow, causing the water
to run over the top
���� They require annual fertilization and maintenance
���� They are deeply rooted, allowing for greater
infiltration and erosion control
���� They should not be used for permanent cover
A silt fence needs to be maintained when:
���� The sediment reaches one third the height of the
fabric
���� The sediment reaches one half the height of the
fabric
���� The sediment reaches three quarters the height of
the fabric
���� None of the above
When designing a storm water pollution prevention plan for a
construction site it is important to:
���� Realize that each site is unique and will require a
different approach
���� Evaluate each part of a project with an eye toward
erosion control and minimization of soil loss
���� Use good common sense
���� All of the above
Silt fence properly installed around the perimeter of a site is a Best
Management Practice (BMP) used for:
���� Erosion control
���� Sediment control
���� Both erosion and sediment control
���� Neither erosion nor sediment control
Mulch that has been uniformly spread is a Best Management Practice
(BMP) used for:
���� Erosion control
���� Sediment control
���� Both erosion and sediment control
���� Neither erosion nor sediment control
Erosion control is far more effective than sediment control.
���� True
���� False
The normal wetted perimeter of a new ditch must be stabilized within
___day(s) after connecting to surface water.
���� 1
���� 3
���� 7
���� 14
The installation of which of the following does not meet the NPDES
permit requirements for Final Stabilization?
���� Seed & fertilizer
���� Seed & mulch
���� Pavement
���� Rip rap
Which of the following does not meet the NPDES permit definition of a
"Surface Water”?
���� Wetland
���� Storm sewer
���� Curb & gutter
���� Stream
���� None of the above
The objective of sediment control is to control and minimize the
movement of soil particles dislodged by water. The most effective way
to do this is to think in terms of:
���� Installing silt fence
���� Having multiple BMPs working together to prevent
erosion and provide several “chances” for capturing
sediment before it leaves the site
���� Installing hay bale barriers
���� Conveying stormwater off the site as quickly as
possible
