Water Quality & Watershed Management Flashcards
7 cards from real CES practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Water Quality & Watershed Management flashcards as text
Which method is used to delineate watershed boundaries using topographic data?
Answer: Topographic flow accumulation analysis from DEM data
Watershed boundaries are delineated by tracing topographic ridgelines using digital elevation model (DEM) data and flow accumulation algorithms in GIS software.
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is characterized by which chemical condition that makes it harmful to aquatic life?
Answer: Low pH, high sulfate, and elevated metal concentrations
AMD forms when sulfide minerals in mining waste oxidize to produce sulfuric acid, resulting in low pH and dissolution of toxic metals like iron, aluminum, and manganese.
In a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment, the subsurface flow design is preferred over surface flow primarily because it:
Answer: Reduces mosquito breeding and public health concerns
Subsurface flow constructed wetlands route water through a gravel or rock media below the surface, eliminating standing water that creates mosquito breeding habitat and odor issues.
Which hydrological term describes the maximum rate at which soil can absorb water under given conditions?
Answer: Infiltration capacity
Infiltration capacity is the maximum rate at which soil can absorb water; when rainfall intensity exceeds this rate, excess water becomes surface runoff (Hortonian overland flow).
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in water is most commonly measured using which method?
Answer: Electrical conductivity measurement
TDS is estimated by measuring electrical conductivity (EC), since dissolved ions conduct electricity proportionally to their concentration, using a conversion factor to calculate TDS.
Under EPA's Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, a state may deny a federal permit or license for a project if the project would violate:
Answer: State water quality standards
Section 401 grants states the authority to certify or deny federal permits (such as Army Corps Section 404 permits) for projects that may discharge into waters of the US if they would violate state water quality standards.
Chlorination of drinking water containing natural organic matter (NOM) is a concern primarily because it can produce:
Answer: Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes
Chlorine reacts with humic acids and other NOM to form disinfection byproducts including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), which are regulated due to cancer risk.