CWD Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CWD facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the role of surface water in determining wetland boundaries? → Surface water marks the boundary where wetland soils and vegetation occur
2. What is the importance of continuing education for CWD professionals in Environmental Impact Assessment? → Maintaining current knowledge and adapting to industry changes
3. Which factor most commonly causes long-term failure of restored wetland mitigation sites? → Chronic hydrologic deficits due to inadequate water source or altered watershed conditions
4. Which sequence represents the preferred order of mitigation under the 404(b)(1) Guidelines? → Avoidance, minimization, compensation
5. How do hydric soils contribute to wetland identification? → They help distinguish wetlands from upland areas based on soil characteristics
6. Under the 2008 Compensatory Mitigation Rule, which type of mitigation is generally preferred over permittee-responsible mitigation? → Third-party mitigation through mitigation banking
7. What is an SLA in CWD technology? → A formal agreement defining expected service performance standards
8. What is the primary function of hydrology in wetland delineation? → It helps identify the presence of water, determining wetland areas
9. The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) uses the Cowardin classification system. In GIS, NWI data is delivered as which file format? → Shapefile or geodatabase feature class
10. When delineating wetlands from aerial photography, what is a key limitation of using only true-color (RGB) imagery? → It cannot distinguish between wet and dry areas with similar green vegetation color
11. The 'recapture' provision under Section 404(f)(2) can eliminate an agricultural exemption if the activity: → Is part of a plan or scheme to bring an area into use as a regulated activity
12. What is a quality audit in CWD practice? → Evaluating whether quality standards and procedures are followed
13. Which of the following represents a common cause of compensatory mitigation site failure? → Improper hydrology or inadequate water supply
14. What is peer review in CWD Soil Science & Analysis? → Quality evaluation by qualified colleagues for improvement
15. What is the importance of continuing education for CWD professionals in Soil Science & Analysis? → Maintaining current knowledge and adapting to industry changes
16. Under the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, which section requires a permit for the placement of structures in navigable waters? → Section 10
17. A plant listed as 'FACW' under NWI indicator status occurs in wetlands at what frequency under natural conditions? → Usually — between 67% and 99% of the time
18. What is the primary federal law regulating wetlands in the United States? → Clean Water Act
19. When recording Munsell soil color, the notation '10YR 4/2' represents which three components in order? → Hue 10YR, Value 4, Chroma 2
20. What is the significance of the Ramsar Convention in wetland conservation? → It provides guidelines for global wetland conservation and management
21. When flagging a wetland boundary in the field, survey flags are placed: → Along the line where the transition from positive to negative parameter indicators occurs
22. What is a dashboard in CWD reporting? → A visual display of key metrics for at-a-glance performance monitoring
23. What defines a riverine wetland? → A wetland associated with rivers or streams with flowing water
24. Which wetland function is most directly linked to the global carbon cycle and climate change mitigation? → Carbon sequestration in peat and organic soils
25. What is the primary goal of regulatory compliance in CWD practice? → Ensuring adherence to laws and standards governing professional practice
26. What is a common method for analyzing vegetation in wetland delineation? → Conducting field surveys to identify and classify plant species
27. Which federal agency co-administers the Section 404 permit program alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers? → U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
28. How do regulations differ from standards in CWD practice? → Regulations are legally binding; standards are typically voluntary
29. Which of the following is a redoximorphic depletion feature used to identify hydric soils? → Gleyed matrix with low chroma gray or greenish colors
30. What role do standard operating procedures play in CWD Environmental Impact Assessment? → Ensuring consistency and quality through documented instructions