CESSWI Site Inspection Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the EPA's Construction General Permit (CGP), how soon after a qualifying storm event must an inspection be completed?
- Within 24 hours of the storm ending
- Within 72 hours of the storm ending (Correct answer)
- By end of the next business day
- Within 7 calendar days
Correct answer: Within 72 hours of the storm ending
The EPA CGP requires post-storm inspections to be completed within 72 hours after the end of a qualifying storm event of 0.25 inches or more.
Question 2: Which area of a construction site typically receives the most scrutiny during a site inspection for sediment loss?
- Laydown areas with stored materials
- Downslope perimeter controls and discharge points (Correct answer)
- Temporary office trailer locations
- Areas where topsoil has been stockpiled more than 30 feet from a waterway
Correct answer: Downslope perimeter controls and discharge points
Downslope perimeter controls and discharge points are where sediment leaves the site, making them the highest-priority inspection locations.
Question 3: What is the recommended minimum slope for a gravel construction entrance/exit pad to promote vehicle tire cleaning?
- 1% downslope toward the road
- Flat (0%) to allow standing water for tire washing
- 1-2% toward the site interior to prevent tracking toward the road (Correct answer)
- 5% or steeper to encourage runoff away from the site
Correct answer: 1-2% toward the site interior to prevent tracking toward the road
A slight 1-2% slope toward the site interior helps direct drainage away from the public road and encourages tire cleaning as vehicles depart.
Question 4: When inspecting silt fence, which defect indicates that the fence is likely to fail hydraulically during a storm?
- Fence posts leaning slightly outward from hydraulic pressure
- Wire mesh backing beginning to rust
- Geotextile fabric is torn at a post connection point allowing a gap (Correct answer)
- Fabric has minor discoloration from previous sediment deposition
Correct answer: Geotextile fabric is torn at a post connection point allowing a gap
Tears in the geotextile fabric at post connections create gaps through which sediment-laden water can flow unfiltered, representing a critical failure point.
Question 5: During a dry-weather inspection, an inspector notices a trickle of murky water flowing from a storm drain that is not connected to any known dewatering activity. What should the inspector do first?
- Assume it is groundwater seepage and proceed with the inspection
- Trace the flow upstream to identify the illicit discharge source and document findings (Correct answer)
- Add inlet protection to the storm drain and move on
- Report the observation only in the next quarterly inspection report
Correct answer: Trace the flow upstream to identify the illicit discharge source and document findings
Dry-weather flows of turbid water suggest an illicit discharge, which must be traced to its source and documented for reporting under the SWPPP.
Question 6: What is the purpose of recording the name and signature of the inspector on every inspection report?
- To identify who to blame if a violation is found
- To certify that the inspection was conducted by a qualified individual and the information is accurate (Correct answer)
- Only required for inspections conducted during regulatory audits
- To allow the contractor to approve or reject inspection findings
Correct answer: To certify that the inspection was conducted by a qualified individual and the information is accurate
Inspector signature certifies that the inspection was conducted by a qualified person and that the reported information is accurate, which is a legal certification.
Question 7: A bioretention cell on a construction site is filling with sediment during the construction phase. What is the standard practice to protect it?
- Allow sediment to fill it, as the bioretention media will filter it out naturally
- Install temporary bypass measures to divert construction runoff around it until the site is stabilized (Correct answer)
- Increase the size of the cell to accommodate sediment
- Remove the bioretention cell until after construction is complete
Correct answer: Install temporary bypass measures to divert construction runoff around it until the site is stabilized
Permanent stormwater features like bioretention cells should be bypassed or protected during construction to prevent premature clogging with construction sediment.
CESSWI Site Inspection Procedures 3
Under the EPA's Construction General Permit (CGP), how soon after a qualifying storm event must an inspection be completed?