CWD Water Quality & Management 5

Question 1

Which macroinvertebrate order is considered most sensitive to water quality degradation and is used as a biotic integrity indicator in wetlands?

Accepted Answer

Plecoptera (stoneflies)

Answer

Plecoptera (stoneflies) require cold, well-oxygenated water and are highly sensitive to pollution, making them among the best indicators of high water quality in lotic systems connected to wetlands.

Question 2

The term 'hydroperiod' is most relevant to wetland water quality because it determines:

Accepted Answer

The duration and timing of inundation that drives redox chemistry and nutrient cycling rates

Answer

Hydroperiod controls how long soils remain saturated and anaerobic, directly governing redox-sensitive nutrient transformations like denitrification and phosphorus release.

Question 3

Section 401 of the Clean Water Act requires that for any federally permitted activity affecting wetlands, the applicant must obtain:

Accepted Answer

A water quality certification from the state in which the discharge will occur

Answer

Section 401 requires that any federally licensed or permitted activity that may result in a discharge to waters must receive water quality certification from the relevant state agency.

Question 4

In a prairie pothole wetland, sediment resuspension during wind events primarily degrades water quality by:

Accepted Answer

Increasing turbidity and releasing bound phosphorus from sediments into the water column

Answer

Wind-driven resuspension mobilizes fine sediments and releases sorbed phosphorus, increasing turbidity and nutrient availability and stimulating algal growth.

Question 5

A wetland mitigation bank is required to demonstrate 'functional lift' primarily by showing:

Accepted Answer

Improvement in wetland functions and services compared to baseline pre-restoration conditions

Answer

Functional lift requires demonstrating measurable improvement in wetland functions—including water quality—relative to the degraded baseline, not simply replacing area.

(CWD) Certified Wetland Delineator Practice Test

(CWD) Certified Wetland Delineator Practice Test

CWD Water Quality & Management 5