CESSWI EXAMINATION QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
A+ ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE//2025-2026 ED
Terms in this set (492)
Absorption Absorption of particles of gas or liquid into a liquid or solid material.
The process by which a liquid or gas adsorbate is adsorbed by an
Adsorption
adsorbent, forming a film on the adsorbent's surface. (aka it
sticks to the surface).
Aerobic Digestion The breakdown of wastes by microorganisms in the presence of dissolved
oxygen.
One-celled or multi-celled plamts that are either suspended in
Algae water or attached to submerged rocks or other materials. Their
abundance is measured by the amount of chlorophyll a within a
water sample.
Water quality of a waterbody measured immediately upstream (or outside) of
Ambient Water Quality the
influence of a particular source of pollutants or pollutant
parameters during average flow conditions.
A series of processed in which microorganisms breakdown
Aenaerobic Digestion
biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.
An EPA policy designed to prevent deterioration of existing
Anti-Degradation
levels of good water quality.
Arid Area Any area receiving less than 10 inches of rainfall per year.
Armor Artificial surfacing of bed, banks, shore, or embankment to resist erosion or
scour.
Arroyo Waterway of an ephemeral stream deeply carved in rock or ancient
alluvium.
Percolating waters confined below impermeable formations with
Artesian Waters
sufficient pressure to spring or well up to the surface.
Assessed Value The dollar value assigned to a property for the purposes of tax assessment.
Backfill Earth used to fill a trench or excavation.
, A pier, vane sill, fence, wall or mound constructed in a basin or in the bed of a
Baffle stream to parry, deflect, check or redistribute the flow, or to float on the surface to
deflect or dampen cross currents or waves.
The lateral boundary of a stream confining water flows. The bank of the left side of a
Bank
channel looking downstream is called the left bank.
Revetment, or other armor protecting a bank of a stream from erosion, includes
Bank Protection
devices used to deflect the forces of erosion away from the bank.
The flood or tide having a 1 percent chance of being exceeded in any given year
Base Flood (100-year flood). The "base flood" is commonly used as the "standard flood: in
Ferderal Flood Insurance studies (see Regulatory Flood).
Base Floodplain The area subject to flooding by the base flood.
The flow contributing to a creek by ground water. During dry periods, base flow
Base Flow
constitutes the majority of stream flow.
(1) The surface area tributary to a stream or lake. (2) Space above or below ground
Basin
capable of retaining or detaining water or debris.
An indentation of bank or shore, including erosional cuts and slipouts, not
Bay
necessarily large.
The zone of sedimentary material that extends landward from the low water line
to the place where there is marked change in material or form, or to the line
Beach of
permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm waves). The seaward limit
of a beach, unless otherwise specified, is the mean low water line. A beach
includes foreshore and backshore.
Bed The earth below any body of water, limited laterally by bank or shore.
Sediment that moves by rolling, sliding, or skipping along the bed and is essentially
Bed Load
in contact with the stream bed.
Bedding The foundation under a drainage structure.
As referred to in the State Water Quality Standards, beneficial uses are activities that
Beneficial Uses
range from recreational to agricultural uses, depending on the source of the water.
Benthic Of or relating to or happening on the bottom under a body of water.
(1) A bench or terrace between two slopes. (2) A nearly horizontal part of the
Berm beach or backshore formed at the high water line by waves depositing material.
Some
beaches have no berms, other have one or several.
(1) Ameasure that is implemented to protect water quality and reduce the
potential for pollution associated with stormwater runoff. (2) Any program,
Best Management Practice (BMP)
technology,
process, sizing criteria, operating method, measure, or device that controls,
prevents, removes, or reduces pollution.
A general term for the accumulation of substances, such as pesticides (DDT is an
example), methylmercury, or other organic chemicals in an organism or part of
an organism. The accumulation process involves the biological sequestering
Bioaccumulation of
substances that enter the organism through respiration, food intake, epidermal (skin)
contact with the substance, and/or other means. The sequestering results in the
organism having a higher concentration of the substance than the concentration in
the organism's surrounding environment.
Chemical procedure for determining the uptake rate of dissolved oxygen by the
biological organisms in a body of water. It is not a precise quantitative test,
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) although it is widely used as an indication of the quality of water. BOD can be used
as a gauge of the effectiveness of wastewater treatment plants. It is listed as a
conventional
A+ ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE//2025-2026 ED
Terms in this set (492)
Absorption Absorption of particles of gas or liquid into a liquid or solid material.
The process by which a liquid or gas adsorbate is adsorbed by an
Adsorption
adsorbent, forming a film on the adsorbent's surface. (aka it
sticks to the surface).
Aerobic Digestion The breakdown of wastes by microorganisms in the presence of dissolved
oxygen.
One-celled or multi-celled plamts that are either suspended in
Algae water or attached to submerged rocks or other materials. Their
abundance is measured by the amount of chlorophyll a within a
water sample.
Water quality of a waterbody measured immediately upstream (or outside) of
Ambient Water Quality the
influence of a particular source of pollutants or pollutant
parameters during average flow conditions.
A series of processed in which microorganisms breakdown
Aenaerobic Digestion
biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.
An EPA policy designed to prevent deterioration of existing
Anti-Degradation
levels of good water quality.
Arid Area Any area receiving less than 10 inches of rainfall per year.
Armor Artificial surfacing of bed, banks, shore, or embankment to resist erosion or
scour.
Arroyo Waterway of an ephemeral stream deeply carved in rock or ancient
alluvium.
Percolating waters confined below impermeable formations with
Artesian Waters
sufficient pressure to spring or well up to the surface.
Assessed Value The dollar value assigned to a property for the purposes of tax assessment.
Backfill Earth used to fill a trench or excavation.
, A pier, vane sill, fence, wall or mound constructed in a basin or in the bed of a
Baffle stream to parry, deflect, check or redistribute the flow, or to float on the surface to
deflect or dampen cross currents or waves.
The lateral boundary of a stream confining water flows. The bank of the left side of a
Bank
channel looking downstream is called the left bank.
Revetment, or other armor protecting a bank of a stream from erosion, includes
Bank Protection
devices used to deflect the forces of erosion away from the bank.
The flood or tide having a 1 percent chance of being exceeded in any given year
Base Flood (100-year flood). The "base flood" is commonly used as the "standard flood: in
Ferderal Flood Insurance studies (see Regulatory Flood).
Base Floodplain The area subject to flooding by the base flood.
The flow contributing to a creek by ground water. During dry periods, base flow
Base Flow
constitutes the majority of stream flow.
(1) The surface area tributary to a stream or lake. (2) Space above or below ground
Basin
capable of retaining or detaining water or debris.
An indentation of bank or shore, including erosional cuts and slipouts, not
Bay
necessarily large.
The zone of sedimentary material that extends landward from the low water line
to the place where there is marked change in material or form, or to the line
Beach of
permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm waves). The seaward limit
of a beach, unless otherwise specified, is the mean low water line. A beach
includes foreshore and backshore.
Bed The earth below any body of water, limited laterally by bank or shore.
Sediment that moves by rolling, sliding, or skipping along the bed and is essentially
Bed Load
in contact with the stream bed.
Bedding The foundation under a drainage structure.
As referred to in the State Water Quality Standards, beneficial uses are activities that
Beneficial Uses
range from recreational to agricultural uses, depending on the source of the water.
Benthic Of or relating to or happening on the bottom under a body of water.
(1) A bench or terrace between two slopes. (2) A nearly horizontal part of the
Berm beach or backshore formed at the high water line by waves depositing material.
Some
beaches have no berms, other have one or several.
(1) Ameasure that is implemented to protect water quality and reduce the
potential for pollution associated with stormwater runoff. (2) Any program,
Best Management Practice (BMP)
technology,
process, sizing criteria, operating method, measure, or device that controls,
prevents, removes, or reduces pollution.
A general term for the accumulation of substances, such as pesticides (DDT is an
example), methylmercury, or other organic chemicals in an organism or part of
an organism. The accumulation process involves the biological sequestering
Bioaccumulation of
substances that enter the organism through respiration, food intake, epidermal (skin)
contact with the substance, and/or other means. The sequestering results in the
organism having a higher concentration of the substance than the concentration in
the organism's surrounding environment.
Chemical procedure for determining the uptake rate of dissolved oxygen by the
biological organisms in a body of water. It is not a precise quantitative test,
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) although it is widely used as an indication of the quality of water. BOD can be used
as a gauge of the effectiveness of wastewater treatment plants. It is listed as a
conventional
