A site assessment should evaluate which combination of features?

A site assessment should evaluate which combination of features?

• A. Proximity to water and impervious area
• B. Number of trees only
• C. Nutrient content of fertilizer
• D. Neighbor's property values

Answer: (A)

In a site assessment for non-point source pollution, the key concern is how runoff moves pollutants to water bodies. The two features that best indicate this risk are how close the site is to a water body and how much of the land surface is impervious. Being near water means runoff has a shorter path to reach streams or lakes, increasing the chance of pollutants entering the water. Impervious areas like roofs, pavement, and compacted soil prevent infiltration, so rainfall becomes runoff more quickly and in greater volumes, carrying sediments, nutrients, and pesticides along. Together, these factors help predict how much pollutant-laden runoff could reach water bodies during storms. In contrast, the number of trees alone doesn’t quantify runoff pathways, fertilizer nutrient content is a management detail and can vary, and a neighbor’s property values don’t affect pollution risk.

In a site assessment for non-point source pollution, the key concern is how runoff moves pollutants to water bodies. The two features that best indicate this risk are how close the site is to a water body and how much of the land surface is impervious. Being near water means runoff has a shorter path to reach streams or lakes, increasing the chance of pollutants entering the water. Impervious areas like roofs, pavement, and compacted soil prevent infiltration, so rainfall becomes runoff more quickly and in greater volumes, carrying sediments, nutrients, and pesticides along. Together, these factors help predict how much pollutant-laden runoff could reach water bodies during storms. In contrast, the number of trees alone doesn’t quantify runoff pathways, fertilizer nutrient content is a management detail and can vary, and a neighbor’s property values don’t affect pollution risk.