LARE Site Inventory and Analysis Flashcards

A landscape architect is preparing an inventory of cultural resources on a rural site with potential archaeological sensitivity. The most appropriate baseline document to consult first is:

Answer: The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) files and archaeological predictive models

SHPO files contain recorded sites, predictive models, and prior survey reports that establish baseline cultural resource sensitivity before any field investigation.

Which of the following best explains why a high curve number (CN) value is significant in a site hydrology analysis?

Answer: It indicates a watershed with high impervious cover generating large runoff volumes

Higher CN values in the NRCS method indicate less infiltration and greater direct runoff, producing higher peak flows for the same storm event.

During a site inventory, a landscape architect notes that a mature oak has a dripline extending 20 feet from the trunk. The critical root zone (CRZ) for construction protection is typically defined as:

Answer: 1 foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter at breast height (DBH)

Standard arboricultural practice defines the CRZ as one foot of radius per inch of DBH, which often extends beyond the visible dripline for large trees.

A site analysis identifies a seasonal wetland that does not meet the three-parameter federal delineation criteria during a drought year. The landscape architect should:

Answer: Review historical hydric soil indicators and vegetation to assess normal conditions

Wetland delineations during atypical dry periods must be evaluated against historical hydric soil and vegetation evidence to determine normal-year jurisdictional status.

In a shadow study for a proposed pergola structure, which sun angle data is most important for determining shading on the winter solstice in a mid-latitude US city?

Answer: Solar altitude angle at solar noon on December 21

The winter solstice produces the lowest solar altitude angle at noon, determining the longest shadows and worst-case shading conditions for the design.

A site located in USDA Hardiness Zone 7b has a mean annual extreme minimum temperature range of:

Answer: 5 degrees F to 10 degrees F

Zone 7b corresponds to a mean annual extreme minimum temperature of 5 to 10 degrees F per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

When evaluating a site for a bioretention cell, which combination of existing site conditions is most favorable?

Answer: Gentle slope (2-6%), sandy loam soils, water table more than 2 feet below cell bottom

Bioretention requires adequate slope for drainage, permeable soils for infiltration, and sufficient separation from the water table to prevent media saturation.