Sustainable Practices & Conservation Flashcards

A stormwater manager finds that a bioswale is showing signs of channelization (water cutting a narrow path). What is the BEST corrective action?

Answer: Add check dams and replant vegetation to restore sheet flow

Check dams restore distributed, shallow sheet flow across the bioswale, and replanting fills gaps that allowed channelization to develop.

Which practice qualifies as 'pollution prevention' rather than treatment in stormwater management?

Answer: Switching to phosphorus-free fertilizers on a golf course

Using phosphorus-free fertilizers eliminates the pollutant source entirely rather than treating it after it enters runoff, which is true pollution prevention.

In arid and semi-arid regions of the US, stormwater harvesting practices are particularly valuable because they:

Answer: Capture infrequent but intense precipitation events for beneficial reuse

In arid regions, capturing high-intensity storm runoff for irrigation and non-potable uses conserves scarce water resources while managing stormwater volume.

Which metric is most useful for assessing the effectiveness of a stormwater quality BMP in removing total suspended solids (TSS)?

Answer: Pollutant removal efficiency or load reduction percentage

TSS removal efficiency, expressed as percent reduction in concentration or load, directly measures how well a BMP reduces suspended sediment.

Conservation development designs that preserve sensitive areas such as wetlands, steep slopes, and floodplains achieve which stormwater benefit?

Answer: Maintaining natural hydrologic and ecological functions of sensitive areas

Preserving sensitive areas keeps their natural functions—infiltration, storage, ecological filtering—intact, benefiting both hydrology and water quality.

Under LEED certification for neighborhood development, stormwater management points are earned primarily by:

Answer: Managing stormwater to prevent increases in runoff volume and improve water quality

LEED awards points for sustainable stormwater strategies that control post-development runoff volumes and protect receiving water quality.

A stormwater program manager is developing an education campaign targeting homeowners. Which message most directly supports stormwater conservation goals?

Answer: 'Direct downspouts to rain gardens or planted areas instead of paved surfaces'

Directing downspouts to rain gardens keeps rooftop runoff on-site for infiltration and treatment, directly reducing stormwater volume and pollutant loads.