Download VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam with verified solutions and more Exams Motor Vehicle Design in PDF only on Docsity!
VA DEQ ESC Inspector Exam with
verified solutions
VESCP - correct answer ✔ Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program
- Administered by counties/cities (must), towns (may)
- MUST BE APPROVED Minimum Standard 1 - correct answer ✔ Stabilization permanent or temporary soil stabilization shall be applied to denuded areas within seven days after final grade is reached on any portion of the site; temporary soil stabilization shall be applied within seven days to denuded areas that may not be at final grade but will remain dormant for longer than 14 days; permanent stabilization shall be applied to areas that are to be left dormant for more than one year Site NOT at Final Grade - correct answer ✔ - stabilize in 14 days
- temporarily seed
- mulch
- permanently stabilize if dormant > 1 year Site at Final Grade - correct answer ✔ - stabilize in 7 days (recommended immediately)
- permanently or temporarily seed and mulch
- mulch/matting/straw Minimum Standard 2 - correct answer ✔ Stock Piles, Waste and Borrow Areas during construction, soil stock piles and borrow areas shall be stabilized or protected with sediment trapping measures mulch prevents erosion by protecting the surface from raindrop impact and silt fence intercepts and detains from disturbed areas Minimum Standard 3 - correct answer ✔ Permanent Vegetation permanent vegetation cover shall be established on denuded areas not otherwise permanently stabilized (permanent vegetation shall not be considered established until a ground cover is achieved that is uniform, mature enough to survive, and will inhibit erosion there is no % associated with this) reduce erosion and decrease sediment yield from disturbed area this is the standard used to verify that a site is ready for release of bonds or surety Minimum Standard 4 - correct answer ✔ First-Step Measures
Minimum Standard 6 - correct answer ✔ Traps and Basins sediment traps and basins shall be designed and constructed based upon the total drainage area (not just disturbed area) to be served by the trap or basin Sediment Traps - correct answer ✔ minimum storage capacity shall be 134 cubic yards per acre of drainage area and shall only control drainage areas less than 3 acres stone outlet = trap Sediment Basins - correct answer ✔ surface runoff from disturbed areas that is comprised of flow from drainage areas greater than or equal to 3 acres shall be controlled by a basin; minimum storage capacity of a sediment basin shall be 134 cubic yards per acre of drainage area; the outfall system shall, at a minimum, maintain the structural integrity of the basin during a 25-year storm of 24-hour duration; runoff coefficients used in runoff calculations shall correspond to a bare earth condition or those conditions expected to exist while the sediment basin is utilized. Sediment Trapping Devises - correct answer ✔ 1. place near the lowest drainage points of a project
- install as a first-step measure [MS-4]
- stabilize immediately [MS-5]
- must include outlet protection for basins [MS-11] Minimum Standard 7 - correct answer ✔ Cut and Fill Slopes roughening the surface of the slope decreases runoff, lowers the velocity runoff, increases water retention, and leads to better seed germination slopes that are found to be eroding excessively within on year of permanent stabilization shall be provided with additional slop stabilizing measures until the problem is corrected Minimum Standard 8 - correct answer ✔ Concentrated Runoff shall not flow down cut or fill slopes unless contained within an adequate temporary or permanent channel, flume or slope drain structure outlets of these drains need outlet protection to prevent erosion from the concentrated flow size of pipe depends on drainage area temporarily conduct concentrated stormwater runoff safely down the face of a cut or fill slope without causing erosion on or below the slope Minimum Standard 9 - correct answer ✔ Water Seeps
Minimum Standard 11 - correct answer ✔ Outlet Protection before newly constructed stormwater conveyance channels or pipes are made operational, adequate outlet protection and any required temporary or permanent channel lining shall be installed in both the conveyance channel and receiving channel prevent scour at stormwater outlets, protect outlet structure, and minimize potential for downstream erosion by reducing the velocity and energy of concentrated stormwater flows provides energy dissipation from the concentrated discharge from a pipe or channel in order to prevent erosion and provide a stable transition must construct at zero grade (so it slows down water to slow/prevent erosion) Minimum Standard 12 - correct answer ✔ Watercourse Construction when work in a live watercourse is performed, precautions shall be taken to minimize encroachment, control sediment transport, and stabilize the work area to the greatest extent possible during construction non-erodible material shall be used from the construction of causeways and cofferdams earthen fill may be used for these structures if armored by non-erodible cover materials
use of non-erodible materials prevents damage to the stream bed and sedimentation Minimum Standard 13 - correct answer ✔ when a live watercourse must be crossed by construction vehicles more than twice in any six-month period, a temporary vehicular stream crossing constructed of non-erodible material shall be provided Utility Stream Crossing - correct answer ✔ help protect sediment from entering the stream from construction within approach areas and minimize amount of disturbance within the stream itself Temporary Stream Crossing - correct answer ✔ provide a means for construction traffic to cross flowing streams without damaging the channel or banks and keep sediment generated by construction traffic out of the stream Minimum Standard 14 - correct answer ✔ all applicable federal, state, and local requirements pertaining to working in or crossing love watercourses shall be met all applicable permits need to be obtained and need to be available on site before construction in live water courses may start water bodies may be identified through wetlands delineation, followed by a jurisdictional determination by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
underground utility lines shall be installed in accordance with the following standards in addition to other applicable criteria:
- no more than 500 linear feet of trench may be opened at one time
- excavated material shall be placed on the uphill side of trenches
- effluent from dewatering operations shall be filtered or passed through approved sediment trapping devices (or both), before being discharged in a manner that does not adversely affect flowing streams or off-site property
- material used for backfilling trenches shall be properly compacted in order to minimize erosion and promote stabilization
- re-stabilization shall be accomplished in accordance with this chapter (9VAC25-840) basic principle of controlling erosion and sedimentation on utility projects is to get the trench back-filled and stabilized as soon as possible section (f) refers to the safety requirements set forth by OSHA in regards to trench depth and the requirement for shoring or tench boxes when workers are in the trench Minimum Standard 17 - correct answer ✔ Vehicular Tracking and Construction Entrances where construction vehicle access routes intersect paved or public roads, provisions shall be made to minimize the transport of sediment by vehicular tracking onto the paved surface
where sediment is transported onto a paved or public road surface, the road surface shall be cleaned thoroughly at the end of each day sediment shall be removed from the roads by shoveling or sweeping and transported to a sediment control disposal area street washing shall be allowed only after sediment is removed in this manner (this provision shall apply to individual development lots as well as to larger land-disturbing activities:
- during we weather, construction traffic can transport a significant amount of sediment (i.e. mud) onto paved public roads, creating not only a sedimentation problem but also a safety hazard and public nuisance
- the operator is responsible for keeping public roads adjacent to the project clean
- mud should be swept or shoveled off the road and deposited on areas where it will not cause another sedimentation problem Sweeping and Washing - correct answer ✔ washing is only permitted after shoveling and sweeping of sediment Temporary Stone Construction Entrance - correct answer ✔ reduce amount of mud transported onto paved public roads by motor vehicles or runoff Minimum Standard 18 - correct answer ✔ Temporary Control Removal
the criterion of the ESC regulations requires the designer verify the adequacy of all channels and pipes in the following manner:
- demonstrate that the total drainage area to the point of analysis within the channel is one hundred times greater than the contributing drainage area of the project (in which case the channel or pipe system is assumed to be adequate based on the correspondingly small impact of the project's runoff to the larger stream or channel system)
- (a) natural channels shall be analyzed by the use of a 2-year storm to verify that stormwater will not overtop channel banks nor cause erosion of channel bed or banks,
- (b) all man-made channels (ex. paved flume) shall be analyzed by the use of a 10-year storm to verify that stormwater will not overtop its banks and by the use of a 2-year storm to demonstrate that stormwater will not cause erosion of channel bed or banks
- (c) pipes and storm sewer systems (ex. closed pipe systems) shall be analyzed by the use of a 10-year storm to verify that stormwater will be contained within the pipe or system if existing natural or manmade channels or pipes are not adequate, the applicant shall:
- improve the channel to a condition that meets 2. (b)
- improve the pipe or pipe system so that the 10-year storm is contained within the system
- develop site design that:
- will not cause pre-development peak runoff rate from a 2-year storm to increase when runoff outfalls into a natural channel
- will not cause the pre-development peak runoff rate from a 10-year storm to increase when runoff outfalls into a man-made channel
- provide a combination improvement, Variances - correct answer ✔ VESCP authority may waive or modify any of the requirements that are deemed inappropriate or too restrictive for site conditions, by granting a variance requests must be considered judiciously, and the VESCP authority should take a conservative and responsible approach, keeping in mind the need to protect downstream properties and the environment from damage due to soil erosion, sediment deposition, and nonagricultural runoff should only be approved when they are reasonable and supported by site- specific rationale may be granted under these conditions:
Preservation Area Designation and Management Regulations (9VAC25-830); as soon as nonexempt status is determined, the requirements of the Act shall be immediately enforced. B. should a land-disturbing activity not begin during the 180-day period following plan approval or cease for more than 180 days, the VESCP authority may evaluate the existing approved erosion and sediment control plan to determine whether the plan still satisfies local and state erosion and sediment control criteria and to verify that all design factors are still valid; if VESCP authority find the previously filed plan to be inadequate, a modified plan shall be submitted and approved prior to the resumption of land-disturbing activity (no grand-fathering in erosion) Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program - correct answer ✔ put in by the General Assembly to operate at the local level; for programs to prevent the unreasonable degradation of properties, stream channels, waters, and other natural resources ESC Program Goal - correct answer ✔ "effective control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and nonagricultural runoff...to prevent the unreasonable degradation of property, stream channels, waters, and other natural resources." (due to non-agricultural activities) protect downstream properties from
- sediment deposition
- damage due to increases in volume, velocity and peak flow rates or runoff Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Law (ESCL) - correct answer ✔ requires that State Water Control Board "shall develop a program and promulgate
regulations for the effective control of soil erosion, sediment deposition, and non agricultural runoff that must be met in any control program to prevent the unreasonable degradation of properties, stream channels, waters, and other natural resources When compared to other land disturbing activities, why does construction produce so much more sediment volume? - correct answer ✔ replanting isn't done until the end of construction Federal Water Pollution Control Act - correct answer ✔ 1948 first major US law to address water pollution Congress passed major amendments in 1972 - Clean Water Act (consolidated control of water pollution policy under the administrator of the newly created US EPA; established National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System [NPDES] Permit Program, which in VA is administered by the VA Pollutant Discharge Elimination system [VPDES], to control water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants) Stormwater Discharges from Land Disturbing Activities - correct answer ✔ permitted under Construction General Permit (GP) through NPDES Statewide Regulatory Erosion and Sediment Control Program - correct answer ✔ began in 1960s (sedimentation problems were becoming increasingly evident in areas undergoing fast-paced urban development - Northern VA and Tidewater region)
Who has to be certified under the Local Erosion and Sediment Control Programs? - correct answer ✔ 1. program administrators
- inspectors
- plan reviewers VESCL requires personnel working in a VESCP to obtain and maintain a certificate of competence in the area of erosion and sediment control (9VAC25-
Combined Administrator - correct answer ✔ anyone who is responsible for performing the combined duties of program adminstrator, plan reviewer and project inspector of a VESCP authority 800 Hour Work Experience Form - correct answer ✔ individuals with at least 800 hours of on-the-job work experience as a stormwater management program administrator, inspector, plan reviewer, or combined administrator may complete the form on the DEQ website instead of completing the DEQ training courses *still must pass the exam Provisional Certification - correct answer ✔ from the day you complete your first required training courses and obtain a passing score on certification exam allows individuals to continue working for an authority while they seek full certification
*individuals can only be provisionally certified ONCE per classification (this is a difference between erosion and sediment control vs stormwater management) Your certificate is good for how long? - correct answer ✔ 3 years Can you re-certify in the last 12 months without losing the time of your certification? - correct answer ✔ Yes, time will be added to your certification you need 18 contact hours in 3 years Re-certification Options - correct answer ✔ 1. retake certification exam with PearsonVue before certificate expires
- complete contact hours by completing DEQ courses or other relevant training before certificate expires *12 hours for program administrator *18 hours for inspector *21 hours for plan reviewer *24 hours for combined administrator contact hours must be entered into CATS system re-certification fee must be paid
