CESSWI CESSWI Soil Properties and Site Characterization

Question 1

Which USDA soil texture class is generally considered the most erodible by water?

Accepted Answer

Silt loam

Answer

Silt loam soils are highly erodible because silt particles detach easily under raindrop impact and are readily transported by sheet flow.

Question 2

What does the letter 'D' represent in NRCS Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG) classification?

Accepted Answer

Very slow infiltration rate — highest runoff potential

Answer

HSG D soils have very slow infiltration rates (typically clay-rich or shallow over impervious layers) and generate the highest surface runoff.

Question 3

The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) factor 'K' represents what soil property?

Accepted Answer

Soil erodibility

Answer

The K factor in USLE quantifies a soil's susceptibility to detachment and transport by rainfall and runoff, based on texture, organic matter, and permeability.

Question 4

A soil with a Unified Soil Classification of 'CH' is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Fat clay with high plasticity

Answer

In the Unified Soil Classification System, CH denotes fat (high-plasticity) clay, which swells when wet and shrinks when dry, posing stability and erosion challenges.

Question 5

Which field test is commonly used on a construction site to estimate soil permeability in the field?

Accepted Answer

Double-ring infiltrometer test

Answer

The double-ring infiltrometer measures the rate at which water infiltrates the soil surface, giving a field estimate of saturated hydraulic conductivity.

(CESSWI) Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector Practice Test

(CESSWI) Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Storm Water Inspector Practice Test

CESSWI CESSWI Soil Properties and Site Characterization