AEP AEP Water Resources & Hydrology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)?
- Document the volume of stormwater discharge from a site
- Identify potential pollutant sources and BMPs to prevent stormwater contamination (Correct answer)
- Establish flow rates for drainage design
- Calculate peak runoff using the Rational Method
Correct answer: Identify potential pollutant sources and BMPs to prevent stormwater contamination
A SWPPP identifies potential pollutant sources at a site and describes best management practices (BMPs) that will be implemented to prevent or reduce stormwater contamination.
Question 2: Which hydrological equation balances inputs, outputs, and storage changes in a watershed over a given period?
- Darcy's Law
- Manning's Equation
- Water Budget (Hydrologic Balance) (Correct answer)
- Rational Method
Correct answer: Water Budget (Hydrologic Balance)
The water budget or hydrologic balance equation (P = ET + R + ΔS) states that precipitation equals evapotranspiration plus runoff plus the change in storage.
Question 3: What does 'hydraulic conductivity' measure in groundwater science?
- The volume of water stored in an aquifer
- The ease with which water flows through a porous medium (Correct answer)
- The height of the water table above sea level
- The rate of water evaporation from soil
Correct answer: The ease with which water flows through a porous medium
Hydraulic conductivity (K) quantifies how easily water moves through a porous medium, reflecting both the properties of the medium and the fluid.
Question 4: Under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, which entity must provide a water quality certification before a federal permit is issued for activities affecting water quality?
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- State environmental agency (Correct answer)
- EPA regional office
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Correct answer: State environmental agency
Section 401 requires the applicant to obtain water quality certification from the state in which the discharge will originate before a federal license or permit is issued.
Question 5: What is the Rational Method used for in stormwater engineering?
- Estimating groundwater recharge rates
- Calculating peak runoff from small drainage areas (Correct answer)
- Modeling long-term aquifer depletion
- Determining sediment transport in streams
Correct answer: Calculating peak runoff from small drainage areas
The Rational Method (Q = CiA) is used to estimate peak stormwater runoff from small urban drainage areas based on rainfall intensity, area, and a runoff coefficient.
Question 6: Which federal program under the Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for drinking water?
- NPDES program
- Underground Injection Control program
- National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (Correct answer)
- Total Maximum Daily Load program
Correct answer: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
The National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) establish legally enforceable MCLs or treatment technique requirements for contaminants that pose health risks in public water systems.
AEP AEP Water Resources & Hydrology 2
What is the primary purpose of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)?