Landscape Design Grading and Drainage 2

Question 1

What is a French drain?

Accepted Answer

A gravel-filled trench containing a perforated pipe that redirects groundwater away from an area

Answer

A decorative drainage channel lined with cobblestones

Answer

A surface channel based on French formal garden design principles

Answer

A type of catch basin with a decorative ornamental grate

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of a retaining wall in landscape grading?

Accepted Answer

To hold back soil and resist lateral earth pressure on graded or terraced slopes

Answer

To provide a decorative border between lawn and garden areas

Answer

To channel stormwater into specific drainage collection areas

Answer

To support the root systems of large trees on hillsides

Question 3

What term describes water that flows across the soil surface rather than infiltrating into the ground?

Accepted Answer

Runoff

Answer

Percolation

Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Leaching

Question 4

What does 'daylighting' a drain mean in landscape design?

Accepted Answer

Extending a drainage pipe until it opens to the surface at a lower elevation

Answer

Installing transparent covers to allow visual inspection of drain pipes

Answer

Using solar-powered pumps to move water through underground drainage lines

Answer

Orienting drainage channels to receive sunlight and prevent biological growth

Question 5

What is the primary function of a dry well in a landscape drainage system?

Accepted Answer

To provide a subsurface reservoir that allows collected water to slowly percolate into surrounding soil

Answer

To store harvested rainwater for landscape irrigation use

Answer

To filter sediment from surface runoff before it enters underground pipes

Answer

To pump excess groundwater to a municipal stormwater system

Question 6

Which instrument is most commonly used to establish and verify grades on a landscape site?

Accepted Answer

Transit level or laser level

Answer

Theodolite

Answer

Magnetic compass

Answer

Soil penetration probe

Question 7

What does 'cut and fill' mean in landscape grading operations?

Accepted Answer

Excavating soil from high areas and relocating it to fill low areas to achieve the desired grade

Answer

Removing existing vegetation and replanting with erosion-resistant species

Answer

Installing drainage trenches and backfilling them with gravel and pipe

Answer

Removing contaminated topsoil and replacing it with imported clean fill