Test your knowledge of how different types of SuDS can mitigate flooding and improve biodiversity and amenity with this 14-question quiz.

If you haven't already done it, work through the Sustainable drainage system unit, or do the quiz again to help fill in any gaps in what you know!

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HIGH SCORES

Rank Name Score
1st SL! 26
2nd WJB 26
3rd YMM 26
4th NNI 25
5th Ahh 25
6th WJB 24
7th W.B 24
8th E+E 24
9th HKH 24
10th EMD 24

QUIZZES // Sustainable drainage systems

Q1. What is happening to the pattern of extreme weather events over time?

Decreasing in both intensity and frequency

Increasing in both intensity and frequency

Increasing only in frequency

Increasing only in intensity

Q2. The movement of water from above ground to below ground is called…?

Infiltration

Percolation

Saturation

Surface runoff

Q3. If impermeable surfaces increase in an area, the flow most likely to increase is…?

Evapotranspiration

Infiltration

Surface runoff

Throughflow

Q4. In what way are SuDS a soft engineering technique?

They are the easiest techniques to implement with minimal economic installation cost

They minimise the aesthetic impacts of the engineering techniques

They work against the water cycle to reduce the impact of natural processes, while minimising risk

They work with the water cycle to limit significant changes to natural processes, while minimising risk

Q5. The provision of play parks (with a grassy surface) within housing developments links to which SuDS principle in particular?

Amenity

Biodiversity

Water quality

Water quantity

Q6. A company is redeveloping an old chemical factory into a housing development. The use of swales is going to be particularly important here for managing possible pollutants. What aspect in particular means swales are best for this purpose?

The open channel makes it easier to pick out the pollutants

The open channel makes it easier to monitor the type and quantity of pollutants leaving the area

The swales stop the water from reaching the main rivers

The vegetation within the channel will filter out some pollutants

Q7. Which of the following is considered a source control component?

Bioretention

Green roof

Retention pond

Swale

Q8. You would like to turn the grass area at the front of your house into a driveway. What surface would be best to use from a water sustainability perspective?

Concrete

Gravel

Permeable paving (bricks)

Tarmac

Q9. To be classified as a bioretention area, the following condition must be met:

Carefully chosen vegetation to ensure there are flowering plants throughout the year to improve aesthetics

Carefully chosen vegetation to maximise the amount of interception

Carefully engineered soils to maximise removal of pollutants as the water percolates through it

Carefully engineered soils to maximise the amount of infiltration

Q10. Which type of basin is normally wet, and therefore designed to support aquatic ecosystems?

Concentration

Detention

Infiltration

Retention

Q11. Which would be the most suitable geographical caption for this image?

A path made from concrete with little green crosses in it

A poorly maintained path, as grass is growing between the cracks in the surface material

A path running between two sets of trees enabling access between areas

A path with a permeable paving surface, enabling higher rates of infiltration at source

Q12. Which SuDS component is shown in this image? It does not include carefully engineered soils or structures below the surface.

Bioretention

Detention

Retention

Infiltration

Q13. Which of the following would be the most likely correct sequence in a SuDS network (starting with where the precipitation falls)?

Detention basin – water butt – swale – infiltration basin

Infiltration basin – swale – water butt – detention basin

Water butt – infiltration basin – swale – detention basin

Water butt – swale – detention basin – infiltration basin

Q14. There are different organisations involved in managing the instigation of SuDS within the various nations of the UK. Which of the following is correct in matching nations and organisations?

England & Wales = Department of Environment. Northern Ireland = SEPA. Scotland = Environment Agency

England & Wales = Environment Agency. Northern Ireland = Department of Environment. Scotland = SEPA

England & Wales = Environment Agency. Northern Ireland = SEPA. Scotland = Department of Environment

England & Wales = SEPA. Northern Ireland = Environment Agency. Scotland = Department of Environment

Finished!

You scored this time. The more correct answers you give, and the fewer incorrect answers you guess, the better your score.

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