MSU-General Santos

Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering

Review 2020

Soil & Water Conservation

Engineering

Prepared By: ER Lapong

1. The factor that affects adoption of soil
and water conservation measures

a. land tenure
b. high initial investment cost
c. construction skills
d. both a and
e. all of the above

Answer: e. all of the above

2. A wet area, periodically inundated with standing or
slow moving water, that has grassy or herbaceous
vegetation and often little peat accumulation; the
water may be salt, brackish or fresh

a. karst
b. Marsh
c. Peat
d. Valley

Answer: b. Marsh
3. Regions that are characterized by formations
underlain by carbonate rock typified by the
presence of limestone caverns and sinkholes

a. Karst
b. Marsht
c. Peat
d. Wetland

Answer: a. Karst
4. Which of the following is not a soil structure?

a. Loam
b. Crumb
c. Platy
d. Sub-angular blocky
e. Prismatic

Answer: a. Loam
 Soil Texture
– relative proportion of sand, silt and clay
Sandy soil – coarse-textured soil

Loam soil – medium-textured (all the major size

fractions occur in sizeable proportions
Clay soil/silty clay – fine-textured, contain more
than 40% clay particles and 45% sand or silt

Silty-clay-loam – similar to silty-clay except that it

contains a substantial quantity of sand
 Soil Structure
 Arrangement of individual soil particles with respect to
each other in a pattern
a. Simple structure
 Single-grain structure – occurs normally in sand
and silt
 Massive structure

b. Compound structure – according to the relative

lengths of their vertical and horizontal axes
and by the contour of their edges
Cube-like – vertical and horizontal areas are almost
equal in length

Columnar – vertical axes is longer than the horizontal

Platy – horizontal axes is longer than the vertical

Angular – corners and edges are sharp

Sub-angular – sharp edges by rounded corners

Granular – both corners and edges are rounded

5. Soil productivity is the ability of the soil

a. To produce the desired amount of plant yield

b. Supply nutrients in sufficient and balanced amounts
c. Store and resist leaching nutrients
d. All of the above

Answer: a. To produce the desired amount of plant yield

6. When a sickly yellowish green color was found,
the plant was possibly suffering from what
major element deficiency?

a. Nitrogen
b. Boron
c. Phosphorus
d. Zinc
e. Potassium

Answer: a. Nitrogen
7. Refers to the manifestation of physical forces of
cohesion and adhesion acting within the soil at
various moisture contents.

a. Soil consistency
b. Soil aggregate
c. Soil cohesion
d. Soil structure
e. Soil texture

Answer: a. Soil consistency

8. It has the property of soil which enables clay
to change slope without cracking when it is
subjected to deforming stress.
a. Puddlability
b. Permeability
c. Friability
d. Consistency
e. Plasticity

Answer: e. Plasticity
9. Refers to the relative proportion of various size
groups of individual soil grains:

a. Soil texture
b. Soil consistency
c. Soil colloid
d. Soil profile
e. Soil structure

Answer: a. Soil texture

10. Water which has been absorbed from an
atmosphere of water vapor as a result of
attractive forces in the surface of the particles.
a. Capillary water
b. Hygroscopic water
c. Rainwater
d. Gravitational water
e. Mineral water

Answer: b. Hygroscopic water

 Kinds of Soil Water
Hygroscopic water – water held tightly to the surface
of soil particles by adsorption forces

Capillary water – water held by forces of surface tension

and continuous film around soil particle and
capillary spaces

Gravitational water – water that moves freely in

response to gravity and drains out of the soil
11. It is refer to the ease of crumbling of soils.

a. Plasticity
b. Soil colloid
c. Soil consistency
d. Friability

Answer: d. Friability
12. A natural body composed of a variable mixture of
broken and weathered minerals and decaying
organic matter and when containing the proper
amount of air and water, supplies sustenance
and gives mechanical support of plants:
a. Fertilizer
b. Soil
c. Humus
d. Rock
e. Mineral
Answer: b. Soil
13. The study of soil which puts more emphasis
on the origin, characteristics, classification
and description:

a. Pedology
b. Pathology
c. Agronomy
d. Soil science

Answer: a. Pedology
14. The percentage of moisture on dry weight basis that
is held against the pull of gravity, after drainage has
ceased in a soil that has been saturated:

a. Wilting point
b. Hygroscopic coefficient
c. Air dry
d. Field capacity
e. Oven dry weight

Answer: d. Field capacity

Soil Moisture constants:
1. Saturation Capacity – all pores of the soil are filled
with water
- Maximum water-holding capacity

2. Field Capacity (FC) – is the moisture content after

drainage of gravitational water has become very slow
and the moisture content has become relatively stable

3. Permanent Wilting Point/Percentage (PWP) –

moisture content at which plants can no longer obtain
enough moisture to meet transpiration requirement
and remain wilted (and eventually dies) unless water is
added
4. Moisture equivalent – amount of water retained by
a sample of initially saturated soil material

5. Wilting Range – range in soil moisture content which

plants undergo progressive degree of permanent
or irreversible wilting

6. Available Water
– soil moisture between
field capacity and
permanent wilting
point
Formulae:
TAM  FC  PWP
R  RAM  TAM

Pw  FC  R
( FC  Pw )
dRAM   As  DRZ
100

RAM
No.  of  Days 
ET
Where: TAM – Total Available Moisture
FC – Field Capacity
PWP – Permanent Wilting Point/Percentage
R – Range
Pw – soil moisture content
dRAM – depth of Readily Available Moisture
AS – Apparent specific gravity
DRZ – depth of root zone
No. of Days – irrigation frequency (no. of days
before irrigation)
ET – evapotranspiration rate
15. The capacity of water bodies to cleanse
themselves of pollutants over a period of time
and/or stretch
a. Stress capacity
b. Driving capacity
c. Assimilative capacity
d. Water holding capacity

Answer: c. Assimilative capacity

16. Are natural drainage areas within the
boundary defined by the divide

a. Watershed
b. Catchment
c. Basin
d. All of the above

Answer: d. All of the above

Watershed and Catchment – are essentially the
same, but Basin (often river basin) is most often
used to describe a region drained by a larger
river system, implying a very large watershed or
catchment.
Watershed
is the total land area that contributes to
the flow of a particular water body and
drains to a common outlet.

Watershed – is the divide between two areas

drained by different river systems.
Watershed may be:

 with or without inhabitants

 with or without trees and other vegetations

 with or without wildlife

 sloping or relatively flat

 with a continuous or intermittent river creek.

Classification according to areal extent

River basin Over 1000 km2

Large Watershed 500-1000 km2

Medium Watershed 100-500 km2

Small Watershed 10-100 km2

Micro Watershed Under 10 km2

(For Nos. 17-20)
Daloy and Agas Rivers are the main source of water for
two different watersheds, each measuring
approximately 5000 hectares. Both rivers are perennial
rivers and drains watershed with the same topography
and soil characteristics. Daloy river has sinuosity equal
to one while that Agas river is greater than one. The
watershed where Daloy waterhed is elongated and
slender; while Agas watershed is short and broad.
17. Which best describes Daloy river?

a. It is an effluent stream with appreciable meandering.

b. It is an intermittent stream with minor meandering.
c. It is a straight stream with unsteady flow
d. It is an effluent and straight stream
e. It is ephemeral stream with severe meandering.

Answer: a. It is an effluent stream with

appreciable meandering.
18. Which best describes Agas river?

a. It is an effluent stream with minor meandering.

b. It is an ephemeral stream with steady flow.
c. It is an intermittent stream with no meandering.
d. It is an effluent stream with severe meandering.
e. It is a straight and intermittent stream.

Answer: d. It is an effluent stream with severe meandering.

19. What type of watershed the Daloy and
Agos rivers drain?

a. Small watershed River basin Over 1000 km2

b. Medium watershed Large Watershed 500-1000 km2
Medium Watershed 100-500 km
2
c. Large watershed
Small Watershed 10-100 km2
d. River basin
Micro Watershed Under 10 km2
e. Micro watershed

Answer: a. small watershed

20. If a similar storm occurred in both watersheds,
which will experience the earlier peak flow
assuming rainfall is evenly distributed?

a. Daloy
b. Agas
c. The same
d. Cannot be determined

Answer: a. Daloy
21. The following are watershed descriptors,
except

a. Drainage density
b. Basin shape
c. Relief ratio
d. Stream order
e. Flood routing

Answer: e. Flood routing

22. A watershed descriptor that describes the
dissection of a basin and determines its
response to a rainfall input
a. Drainage density
b. Circulatory ratio
c. Relief ratio
d. Stream order
e. Stream gradient

Answer: a. Drainage density

23. The area of a drainage basin is approximately
10000 acre with an average length of 2500m. The
elevation of the remote place of the basin from the
outlet stream is 1000m. What is the estimated
time where the flow reaches the outlet stream.
a. 0.191
b. 0.155
c. 0.595
d. 0.115

Answer: a. 0.191
24. The ratio of the circumference of a circle, of
the same area as the basin, to the basin
perimeter
a. Circulatory ratio
b. Elongation ratio
c. Relief ratio
d. Circumferential ratio

Answer: a. Circulatory ratio

25. The capacity of rainfall (precipitation) to effect
the detachment and transport of soil particles.

a. Erodibility
b. Erosivity
c. Effectivity
d. Conductivity

Answer: b. Erosivity
Soil Erosion –
is the detachment and transport of soil particles by
natural (i.e. water and wind) or anthropogenic
(man-induced or man-related) causes.

Eroding agents – rainfall/raindrop, runoff, wind

Rainfall Erosivity – the capacity of rainfall to cause

erosion
Soil Erodibility – the susceptibility of the soil to be
eroded
 Environmental Impacts of Soil Erosion
A. On-site Impacts

 Reduce crop productivity due to loss of topsoil

 Reduced infiltration rate, percolation, and
subsurface/aquifer recharge
 Increased direct runoff
A. On-site Impacts

Decreased land value

 Increased local temperature
 Damaged biodiversity (flora and fauna)
B. Off-site Impacts

 Siltation in farms, rivers, dams, canals, and

other water channels and water control and
detention structures
 Reduced water capacity of rivers, water
channels, and dams and other water
reservoirs
B. Off-site Impacts

 Flooding of downstream
 Decreased water supply (fresh water supply)
 Damaged biodiversity
Forms and Classification of Erosion

A. Based on nature of occurrence

 Natural or geologic erosion

 Man-made or accelerated erosion
B. Based on relative place of occurrence

 Surface erosion
 Subsurface erosion
C. Based on eroding agent

 Water erosion (rainfall erosion,

runoff erosion)
 Wind erosion
D. Based on sequential occurrence
 Sheet, Interill, Gully and Streambank

Sheet erosion – is the

uniform removal of soil in thin
layers from sloping land,
resulting from sheet or
overland flow
Interill erosion – is splash and sheet erosion
combined
Rill erosion - is the detachment of soil by a
concentrated flow of water
Gully erosion - produces channels larger than rills,
called gullies, and which cannot be obliterated by normal
tillage
Mechanics of soil erosion

 Rainfall erosion (or raindrop/splash)

 Runoff or scour erosion
 Gully erosion
Geotextile
Use of Empirical Equations and
Prediction Models

 USLE

 RUSLE
 MUSLE
 WEPP Model
26. Which of the following is not a purpose of
terracing?

a. To reduce soil erosion

b. For water conservation
c. For flood control
d. For soil fertility rejuvenation
e. None of the above

Answer: d. For soil fertility rejuvenation

27. Soil erosion is the _______ of soil particles
by natural or anthropogenic causes.

a. Detachment
b. Detachment and transport
c. Detachment, transport and deposition
d. Detachment and entrainment
e. Detachment, transport and entrainment

Answer: b. Detachment and transport

28. The following are on-site effects of erosion,
except

a. Reduced crop productivity

b. Reduced infiltration
c. Increased of direct runoff
d. Damaged biodiversity
e. None of the above

Answer: e. None of the above

29. The following factors are represented in the
USLE except:

a. Rainfall erodibility
b. Cover management
c. Slope length
d. Conservation practice
e. Relief

Answer: e. Relief
30. The detachment and transport of soil by a
concentrated flow of water.

a. Sheet erosion
b. Rill erosion
c. Interill erosion
d. Streambank erosion

Answer: b. Rill erosion

31. Cropping systems where strips of some grass or
legume crop are laid out between contour strips of
crops in the regular rotations; they may be even or
irregular in width; they may be placed on critical
slope areas of the field
a. Buffer strip
b. Contour strip
c. Field strip
d. Random strip

Answer: a. Buffer strip

32. It is an organic or synthetic permeable
cloth-like material used for soil
conservation and erosion prevention
a. Geotextile
b. Geosynthetics
c. Geomesh
d. Both a and b
e. All of the above

Answer: e. All of the above

33. On a 10% hill slope, it is proposed to
construct bench terraces of vertical cuts. . If
the vertical interval is 2 meters, what is the
width of the terrace?
a. 10 m
b. 8 m
c. 20 m
d. 16 m

Answer: c. 20 m
34. Which is a correct description of a soil erosion
plot used to experimentally measure soil
erosion?

a. Vegetated
b. 9% slope
c. 20 m long
d. 7.26 ft high

Answer: b. 9% slope
Methods of Soil Erosion Measurement:

Soil erosion plots

(standard conditions:
bare fallow, 9% slope,
72.6 ft. length)
35. It is the process by which land is left idle or
uncropped for one or more seasons to
accumulate moisture, destroy weeds and allow
decomposition of crop residues.

a. Ratooning
b. Fallowing
c. Idling
d. Mulching

Answer: b. Fallowing
Soil and Water Conservation Measures

a. Vegetative and natural control

measures

b. Engineering-type control measures

EROSION CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES

A. Natural and Vegetative Technologies

 Contouring
 Stripcropping
 Mulching
 Alley cropping
 Hedgerows and grass boundary
 Crop rotation
 Zero tillage or Dibble Planting
 Combination of two or more technologies
mentioned above
 A. Vegetative and natural control measures

1. Crop Rotation

Use good crop rotation practices. Whenever possible, alternate grain crops with legumes.
 2. Relay Cropping

 Practice relay planting of the second seasonal crop. Sowing the 2nd crop while
the 1st is till growing helps reduce demands of soil cultivation.
 Relay plating also serves as an effective soil cover following the 1st harvest.
 3. Planting along countours

Always plant along contours. This prevents erosion by water flow

and improves infiltration and water retention in soil.
 4. Use of Organic Matter

Mix all available organic matter (crop residues, animal manure,

etc.) into the soil. This helps improves soil structure, soil fertility,
and moisture-holding capacity.
Do not burn crop residues.
 5. Laying Crop residues on the field or along
contour (mulching)

Lay additional crop residues, twigs and other materials in contour lines or spread/mulch
across the slope, to further prevent excessive water flow.
Stubble mulching – leaving crops residues in the field and later
incorporating them into the soil
 6. Cover cropping

Coconut-based

Citrus-based
 7. Farm Diversification

Diversity farm enterprises include more trees and larger crops. Food crops can be
planted in between or alternately with fruit and tree crops.
9. Planting of trees or establishment of
mini-forest at the upper end of slope

Maintain forested areas at the upper end of sloping farmlands

serves as protective conservation function and source of fuel
wood, food, income and other useful products.
10. Agroforestry

– combines growing trees/fuit

species with agricultural or
horticultural crops
11. Protection of land by cover crops during
fallow period

Using effective mulches and cover crops to protect the soil from intense
sunlight, wind erosion, and heavy rainfall
 B. Engineering type control measures

1. Terracing
Bench Terrace
Types of Terrace:

•Bench terrace
•Forward-sloped terrace
•Reverse-sloped terrace
•Irrigation/basin terrace
•“Eyebrow” or Orchard terrace
2. Grassed waterways
3. Weirs and
Check dams
4. Impounding ponds or dams

SFR – Small Farm reservoir

SWIP – Small Water impounding Project

5. Gabions
6. Riprap
 7. Wattling

- Consists of interwoven fences of brushwood or twigs in shallow

trenches/canals and supported by pegs.
8. Geotextile
Runoff Storage or Detention Structure

– impounding structures and reservoirs that

reduce velocity and modulate volume of
water

(reservoir dams, detention dams, SWIPs, SFRs, etc.)

SWIP
SFR
Protected Waterways
(for gullies, streams/rivers, and other water channels)

1. Use of grassed waterways (increases roughness

coefficient)

2. Channel lining (concrete, bricks, stones/riprap, slabs, logs)

Diversion Channels
- construction of cut-offs and detour channels

Drop structures
 weir
 chute
 drop spillway
 drop inlet
36. A type of terrace usually used for 25-30%
slope characterized by the construction of
series of platforms along the contours cut into
hill slope in a step like formation

a. Bench terrace
b. Broad-based terrace
c. Zingg terrave
d. Manning’s terrace

Answer: a. Bench terrace

37. How does a gully develop?
1. stabilization stage
2. channel erosion by downward scour of the topsoil
3. healing stage
4. upward movement of gully head and enlargement
of the gully width
a. ii, iv, i, iii
b. iv, ii, iii, i
c. ii, iii, iv, i
d. ii, iv, iii, i

Answer: d. ii, iv, iii, i

38. The USLE is a method of computing soil
erosion. What type of soil erosion does it
estimate?

a. Sheet erosion only

b. Sheet, rill and gully erosion
c. Sheet and rill erosion only
d. All types of erosion

Answer: a. Sheet erosion only

Use of Empirical Equations and
Prediction Models

 USLE

 RUSLE
 MUSLE
 WEPP Model
Rainfall Kinetic Energy Formulae:

E = 0.119 + 0.0873(log I) MJ/ha-mm

where: I = mm/hr

E = 210.3 + 89(log I) MT/ha-cm

where: I = cm/hr

E = 916 + 331(log I) ft-tons/acre-in

where: I = in/hr

(E – rainfall kinetic energy, I – rainfall intensity)

39. What is the Kinetic Energy per unit area of a
rainfall with depth of 0.18 in & intensity of
1.35 in/hr?

a. 12.5
b. 15.2
c. 17.2
d. 173

Answer: d. 173
40. If the total kinetic energy of a given rainfall
event is 7500 ft-ton/acre and the highest I30 is
10 in/hr, what is the Rainfal erosivity index of
the rainfall event?
a. 0.143
b. 0.562
c. 14.3
d. 750
e. 75000

Answer: a. 0.143
41. A sandy loam soil (Sand = 65%, silt=26%,
clay = 9%) has a pH of 5.6 and organic
matter content of 4.8%. Determine the soil
erodibility factor K.
a. 0.125
b. 0.235
c. 0.275
d. 1.25

Answer: b. 0.235
42. The soil erosion in a certain 10-ha farm
practicing conventional tillage (P factor = 1.0)
was computed to be 50 T/ha/yr. By what
percentage will be the difference in soil erosion
if zoning (P factor = 0.25) was employed?

a. 25% increase
b. 75% increase
c. 25% decrease
d. 75% decrease

Answer: d. 75% decrease

43. On a 20% hill slope, it is proposed to construct
bench terraces with 1:1 batter slope. If the
vertical interval is 2 meters, what is the width
of the terrace?

a. 10 m
b. 8 m
c. 20 m
d. 12 m

Answer: a. 10 m
44. These types of soil should not be used in dam
construction, except:

a. Organic material
b. Non-cracking clays
c. Fine silts
d. Calcitic clays

Answer: b. Non-cracking clays

45. The wetting or drying of a soil to assist compaction

a. Water treatment
b. Water logging
c. Moisture conditioning
d. Puddling

Answer: c. Moisture conditioning

46. Rainfall erosivity, R, obtained by ______ the
kinetic energy by the _____ rainfall intensity
during the a period of ____ for each rainstorm.

a. Multiplying, average, 15 minutes

b. Dividing, maximum, 30 minutes
c. Multiplying, maximum, 30 minutes
d. Dividing, minimum, 15 minutes

Answer: c. Multiplying, maximum, 30 minutes

47. The slope length in RUSLE is defined as

a. A distance from the origin of overland flow to where

the flow enters a concentrated flow area
b. Distance from the origin of overland flow to where
deposition starts to occur
c. Distance to which transport capacity is lower than
sediment load
d. Distance to which transport capacity is higher than
sediment load

Answer: a. Distance from the origin of overland flow to

where the flow enters a concentrated flow area
48. Are rough bundle of brushwood or other material
used for strengthening an earthen structure

a. Wattles
b. Gabions
c. Fascines
d. stakes

Answer: c. Fascines
49. A patented mean for erosion protection in the
form of wire baskets or mattresses selectively
filled in situ with rock

a. Revetment
b. Abutment
c. Geotextile
d. Gabion
e. wattles

Answer: d. Gabion
50. Water held in the soil between field capacity
and permanent wilting point

a. Available water content

b. Soil water deficit
c. Excess water
d. Retained water

Answer: a. Available
water content
51. The government agency that issues ‘Water
Permits’ for extraction and use of natural
water resources

a. LGU
b. NWRB
c. DENR
d. DA
e. NIA

Answer: b. NWRB
52. This is the top of an embankment.

a. Berm
b. Crest
c. Dike
d. Freeboard

Answer: b. Crest
53. Sediment near the stream bottom which
moves by crawling or sliding

a. Suspended load
b. Bed load
c. Saltation load
d. None of the above

Answer: b. Bed load

 Classification of Transported Sediment Material:
Suspended Load
Bed Load
– sediment or soil
– sediment near or few
particle suspended
inches from the stream
in the water body
bed and move by crawling
-sediment that is
or sliding
-in motion in a river

In terms of soil particle size, the sediment Saltation – sediment

material is classified as: transported by “saltation”
or “jumping”
 Wash load – suspended and saltation
 Bed load
54. When is the best/recommended time to
sample sediment load in the stream?

a. Intermittent flow
b. Base flow
c. Peak flow
d. Perennial flow

Answer: c. Peak flow

55. Method of sediment sampling where a
representative sample is taken from several
samples (likewise, taken from the different
locations) in the channel or reservoir
a. Composite sample
b. Point-integrated sample
c. Depth-integrated sample
d. Location-integrated sample

Answer: a. Composite sample

Depth- Integrating Sampler

– are lowered and raised through the entire water column and accumulate
a sample which integrates all point, thus giving a sample which reflects the
entire content of the water column, but dos not indicate the distribution of
the contents within the column.
56. Method of sediment sampling where a
representative sample is taken by lowering and
raising the sampling container within the
height of the channel or reservoir
a. Composite sample
b. Point-integrated sample
c. Depth-integrated sample
d. Location-integrated sample

Answer: c. Depth-integrated sample

57. Temporal distribution of rainfall refers to

a. Distribution over space

b. Distribution over watershed
c. Distribution over time
d. Temporary distribution

Answer: c. Distribution over time

58. Which of the sediment sampling methods could
be done at the same time
1.Composite sampling
2.Point-integrated sampling
3.Depth-integrated sampling
a. 1 and 2
b. 1 and 3
c. 2 and 3
d. 1, 2, and 3
e. None
Answer: a & b
59. A reservoir has a capacity of 6x106 m3 and a drainage
area of 200 km2. Streamflow averages 350mm of runoff
per year and sediment production is estimated at 1100
metric tons per km2. How long will it take to reduce the
reservoir capacity to 1 x 106 m3. Assuming an average in-
place density of 1500 kg/m3.
a. 41.5 years
b. 40 years
c. 47 years
d. 60 years

Answer: a. 41.5 years

Reservoir Sedimentation
Trap Efficiency – the percentage of incoming sediment
retained in the reservoir
n
 1 
y  100 1  
 1  ax 
Where: x = C/I (C- reservoir capacity, I – inflow)
a and n = constants ( typical values: 100 and 1.5,
respectively)
Yearly Fillage (m3/yr) = Trap Efficiency × total amount
of sediment production (m3/yr)

Time of Fillage (yrs) = capacity (m3) yearly

fillage (m3/yr)
 Surcharge

Useful storage

Dead
storage

Parts of a dam reservoir

59. A reservoir has a capacity of 6x106 m3 and a drainage area of
200 km2. Streamflow averages 350mm of runoff per year and
sediment production is estimated at 1100 metric tons per km2.
How long will it take to reduce the reservoir capacity to 1 x 106
m3. Assuming an average in-place density of 1500 kg/m3.
60. It is the water retained around individual soil
particles by molecular action and can be
removed only by heating.

a. Permanent wilting point

b. Hygroscopic water
c. Hydrophobic water
d. Microscopic water

Answer: c. Hygroscopic water

61. It is the right of each land owner along the
stream which entitles him/her to have the water
flow in its natural channel undermined in
quantity and unpolluted in quality.

a. Appropriation right
b. Riparian right
c. Water right
d. Irrigation right

Answer: b. Riparian right

62. The process of determining the stage height,
storage volume and outflow rate from a reservoir
or a stream reach for a particular inflow
hydrograph is called
a. Synthetic hydrograph
b. Flood routing
c. Channel straightening
d. Water conservation

Answer: b. Flood routing

63. It is safety valve of a dam. Its main function is
to release surplus or flush flood water which
cannot be contained in the active storage of the
reservoir
a. Free board
b. Spill way
c. Sluiceway
d. Flume

Answer: c. Sluiceway
64. Its purpose is to prevent erosion at the toe of the dam
which might result to failure to structure. As water
discharges over an overflow dam most of its potential
energy are converted into kinetic energy thus
producing high velocities and causes erosion at toe of
the structure
a. Apron
b. Flume
c. Weir
d. Spillway

Answer: a. Apron
65. The moisture content of the soil when the
gravitational water has been removed
a. Available water
b. Field capacity
c. Permanent wilting point
d. Readily available moisture

Answer: b. Field capacity

66. The part of the reservoir (i.e. dam) designed to
store sediments
a. Active storage
b. Useful storage
c. Dead storage
d. Freeboard
e. Intake

Answer: c. Dead storage

 Surcharge

Useful storage

Dead
storage

Parts of a dam reservoir

67. One liter per second is equal to

a. 16.85 gpm
b. 15.5 gpm
c. 15.85 gpm
d. 17.35 gpm

Answer: c. 15.85 gpm

68. For a watershed of 360 hectares, the peak run-
off rate for a 0.5 cm/hr rain intensity (at the
time of concentration) was observed at 2.5
m3/s. What is the run-off coefficient?
a. 0.5
b. 5.0
c. 0.005
d. 0.05

Answer: a. 0.5
69. A reservoir, with water surface area averaging 6 km2,
reads 100 m in its monitoring gauge. The reservoir is
being replenished by a 5000-ha watershed wherein
85% of the total rainfall that falls in the watershed
reaches the reservoir. What rainfall depth is needed to
raise the water level of the reservoir by 4 meters?
a. 655 mm
b. 556 mm
c. 565 mm
d. 665 mm
e. 656 mm
Answer: c. 565 mm
70. Four liters per second is equal to

a. 14.4 m3/hr
b. 63.41 gpm
c. Both a and b
d. Neither a nor b

Answer: c. both a and b

71. A crop sown with another crop and
harvested separately is called
a. Cover crop
b. Relay crop
c. Inter-tilled Crop
d. Companion crop

Answer: d. companion crop

72. Structured device designed to hold a pool of
water to cushion the impact and retard the
flow of falling water as from an overflow weir,
chute or drop

a. sill
b. Stilling basin
c. Apron
d. Pond

Answer: b. Stilling basin

73. A channel having steep slope
a. Flume
b. Chute
c. Main canal
d. Checkgate
e. Lateral canal

Answer: b. Chute
74. The distance between adjacent terraces

a. Horizontal distance
b. Vertical distance
c. Horizontal interval
d. Vertical interval

Answer: d. Vertical interval

75. Is the elevation or vertical distance of the
free water surface above a datum

a. Stage
b. Depth of flow
c. Channel depth
d. Hydraulic depth
e. Both a and b

Answer: a. Stage
76. The following measures accelerates
channel flow, except,
a. Channel deepening
b. Channel straightening
c. Levees
d. Channel widening
e. Vegetative control

Answer: e. Vegetative control

77. Involves the arrangement of compost mix in
long, narrow piles that are periodically turned
to maintain aerobic conditions
a. Windrow
b. Conical
c. Granular
d. Silo-type
e. None of the above

Answer: a. Windrow
78. Which is a natural or vegetative soil conservation
technology

a. Terracing
b. Mulching
c. Wattling
d. Brush dam
e. Detention structures

Answer: b. Mulching
79. These are characteristics of contour maps, except:

a. All points on the same contour have the same elevation

b. Regardless of slopes, the contour lines are spaced
uniformly.
c. A single contour cannot lie between two contour lines or
higher elevation.
d. Every contour closes upon itself either within or outside
the limits of the map.
e. A contour never splits.

Answer: b. Regardless of slopes, the contour lines are

spaced uniformly.
80. Determine the Kinetic energy per unit area,
MJ/ha, if a rainfall event occurring within 10
min has an intensity of 60 mm/hr.
a. 1.75
b. 2.74
c. 3.75
d. 4.75
e. 5.05

Answer: b. 2.74
81. Given a total Kinetic energy of 3000 KJ/ha and
rainfall intensity (highest for any 30 mins) of 25
mm/hr, determine the rainfall erossivity (N/hr).
a. 5.25
b. 6.50
c. 7.50
d. 7.75
e. 100.50

Answer: c. 7.50
82. Given the incremental duration and depth of a
rainfall event, compute for the rainfall
erossivity (ton/hr).
Duration (min) 30 27 78 185 25

Rainfall Depth (in) 1.5 2.0 2.5 10.5 3.0

a. 0.14
b. 5.75
c. 1,575
d. 10,500
e. 21,465
Answer: a. 0.14
83. A stormwater management facility that
temporarily impounds runoff and discharges it
through a hydraulic outlet structure to a
downstream conveyance system.
a. Detention basin
b. Bioretention basin
c. Catch basin
d. Bioremediation basin

Answer: a. Detention basin

84. Type of sediment load along the stream
characterized as sediments that are sometimes
stationary and sometimes carried by the water
along the stream.

a. Saltating load
b. Temporary load
c. Bed load
d. Suspended load

Answer: a. Saltating load

85. A small water impounding reservoir with a capacity
of 1,500 cu. m. was constructed on a catchment area
of 100 hectares. If the annual sediment prediction is
4.26 m3/ha, what is the probable life of the reservoir
before its capacity is reduced to 500 cu. m? Assume
trap efficiency of dam of 31%
a. 5.4 years
b. 13.6 years
c. 26.3 years
d. 7.6 years

Answer: d. 7.6 years

86. A water impounding reservoir with a capacity of
1500 m3 was constructed on a catchment area of 100
ha. If the annual streamflow averages 12.5 cm and
the annual sediment production is 4.26 m3/ha, what
is the probable life of the reservoir before its
capacity is reduced to 500 m3?

a. 6 years
b. 7 years
c. 8 years
d. 9 years
e. 10 years
Answer: c. 8 years
87. Side of embankment wetted by the
impounded water

a. Wetted perimeter
b. Upstream face
c. Downstream face
d. Berm
e. crest

Answer: b. Upstream face

88. For STW with design discharge of more or less
7.6 Lps and service area of greater than 2 ha,
recommended well/pipe diameter is
a. 2
b. 3
c. 2 or 3
d. 3 or 4
e. 4

Answer: d. 3 or 4
89. Determine the Kinetic Energy per unit area of a rainfall
event with a depth of 10 mm at a more or less uniform
intensity of 10 mm/hr?

a. 20.63
b. 206.3
c. 2,063
d. All of the above

Answer: c. 2, 063
90. The following are Gabion Dam construction
considerations, except,
a. Stones should be non-disintegrating and resistant to abrasion and
weathering
b. Correct lacing should be done if there are more than one layer of
boxes.
c. The space behind the dam and wing walls shall be filled with soil.
d. Shall not be constructed on points where there is mass movement of
soil block
e. The height of a wing wall is equal to the depth of the spillway

Answer: d. Shall not be constructed on points where there

is mass movement of soil block
91. Rise in maximum flood level from the original
unobstructed flood level which results due to
obstruction such as check or diversion dam
a. Afflux elevator
b. Reflux elevator
c. Rated elevator
d. Freeboard
e. stage

Answer: a. Afflux elevator

92. The type of diversion dam which has a high
discharge efficiency and adaptable to most
sites under normal condition
a. Corewall
b. Gated
c. Glacis
d. Ogee
e. Vertical drop

Answer: d. Ogee
93. A small barrier across the direction of water
flow on shallow river and streams to convey
runoff during peak flow.
a. Rockfill dam
b. Diversion dam
c. Check dam
d. Detention dam
e. Any of the above

Answer: c. check dam

94. Distance from irrigation area to the community
of concern that is sensitive to contamination
(e.g. when re-using wastewater)

a. Safe zone
b. Buffer zone
c. Setback distance
d. Allowable distance
e. Precautionary distance

Answer: c. seatback distance

95. If the total kinetic energy of a given rainfall event
is 7.5 MJ/ha and the highest intensity occurring
at least 30 mins. is 10 mm/hr, what is the
Rainfal erosivity index of the rainfall event?
a. 0.75
b. 7.5
c. 75
d. 750
e. 75000
Answer: b. 7.5
96. A plot of flow/runoff versus its probability of
occurrence

a. Hydrograph
b. Histogram
c. Rating Curve
d. Flow duration curve

Answer: d. Flow duration curve

97. These are natural and vegetative soil
conservation technologies, except

a. Dibble Planting
b. Alley planting
c. Strip planting
d. Wattling
e. mulching

Answer: d. Wattling
For 98-100.
A cylindrical soil sample has a cross-sectional area
of 100 cm2 and depth of 12 cm. The total weight of
the soil is 1500 g and it contains 200g of water.
The apparent specific gravity of the soil is 2.5.
98. Determine the soil porosity

a. 46%
b. 50%
c. 52%
d. 57%
e. 65%

Answer: d. 57%
99. What is the volume water percentage?

a. 40%
b. 30%
c. 25%
d. 17%
e. 12%

Answer: d. 17%
100. What is the void ratio?

a. 71%
b. 53%
c. 40%
d. 27%
e. 15%
Answer: a. 71 %