Professional Publications, Inc.

Belmont, CA
for Civil PE Exam
Water Resources and
Environmental Problems
R. Wane Schneiter, PhD, PE, DEE
D E P T H P R O B L E M S
13
PROBLEM 51
Frequency-intensity-duration curves and a sketch of a
watershed that will be developed into a theme park are
presented in the illustrations. All land within the wa-
tershed will be paved with an average ground slope of
1.2%.
25
20
15
10
20 10 40 30 60 50
5
5
4
3
2
1
duration (min)
i
n
t
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
i
n
/
h
r
)
5 yr
10 yr
25 yr
50 yr
100 yr
frequency curve 1
frequency curve 2
frequency curve 3
frequency curve 4
frequency curve 5
paved watershed
discharge
point
1230 ft
390 ft
What is the change in the time of concentration from
the 10-year to the 25-year storm for a storm duration
of 45 min?
(A) 0.70 min
(B) 2.3 min
(C) 2.8 min
(D) 30 min
Hint: Find an equation appropriate for paved surfaces that includes rainfall intensity as a
parameter.
PROBLEM 52
A reservoir is proposed for storing irrigation water. To
meet irrigation demand, the required minimum annual
yield of the reservoir must be 90,000 ac-ft. The reser-
voir will receive water through inow from several small
streams. The mass inow from the streams over the
preceding 3 yr period is presented in the gure.
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36
50
100
150
200
250
300
time (mo)
m
a
s
s

i
n
f
l
o
w

(
1
0
3

a
c
-
f
t
)
What reservoir capacity is required to meet the mini-
mum yield?
(A) 40,000 ac-ft
(B) 78,000 ac-ft
(C) 90,000 ac-ft
(D) 270,000 ac-ft
Hint: What is the relationship between the information provided in the gure and the average
annual demand?
GROUNDWATER AND WELL FIELDS
PROBLEM 53
Using the given information, what is the hydraulic con-
ductivity of the aquifer for nonaqueous phase liquid
(NAPL)?
hydraulic conductivity (water) 2.0 10
4
cm/s
aquifer temperature 10

C
density NAPL at 10

C 0.92 g/cm
3
dynamic viscosity NAPL at 10

C 0.066 g/cms
(A) 1.9 10
7
cm/s
(B) 3.6 10
5
cm/s
(C) 4.0 10
5
cm/s
(D) 1.8 10
4
cm/s
Hint: Distinguish between hydraulic conductivity and intrinsic permeability and review how
they are related.
P R O F E S S I O N A L P U B L I C A T I O N S , I N C .
D E P T H P R O B L E M S
15
PROBLEM 58
A well completely penetrates a conned aquifer under
conditions shown in the following illustration. The hy-
draulic conductivity of the aquifer is 7.3 ft/day.
discharge
1 ft
120 ft
105 ft
20 ft
50 ft
70 ft
radial flow confined aquifer
ground
surface
original
piezometric
surface
drawdown
curve
not to scale
What is the ow from the well?
(A) 0.029 ft
3
/sec
(B) 0.16 ft
3
/sec
(C) 0.43 ft
3
/sec
(D) 1.9 ft
3
/sec
Hint: Discharge ow equations are available for conned and unconned aquifers. Use the
illustration to dene terms.
PROBLEM 59
An agricultural drain eld is depicted in the illustration.
ground surface
impermeable layer
0.25 m
1.8 m
drain spacing
0.4 m
not to scale
For a soil hydraulic conductivity of 0.018 cm/s and an
average inltration rate of 0.0014 cm/s, what is the re-
quired drain spacing?
(A) 1.2 m
(B) 15 m
(C) 140 m
(D) 230 m
Hint: This is a classic drain spacing problem. Look for a drain spacing equation and be
careful that the terms match those given in the illustration.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT
PROBLEM 60
Complete mix activated sludge has been selected for
treatment of a wastewater.
ow rate 25 10
6
gal/day
reactor volume 5 10
6
gal
inuent biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD) concentration 224 mg/L
euent BOD concentration 20 mg/L
reactor mixed liquor suspended
solids concentration 3500 mg/L
recirculated solids concentration 12 000 mg/L
mean cell residence time 10 day
yield coecient 0.5 g/g
endogenous decay rate constant 0.05/day
What is most nearly the recirculated solids ow rate
required to maintain the mean cell residence time?
(A) 1.0 10
7
gal/day
(B) 1.8 10
7
gal/day
(C) 2.5 10
7
gal/day
(D) 6.0 10
7
gal/day
Hint: Begin by deriving an equation for the recirculated solids ow rate. Consider a mass
balance around the clarier.
PROBLEM 61
A wastewater treatment process wastes sludge at
50,000 gal/day. The wasted sludge contains 1.2% solids.
What volume reduction can be realized by thickening
and dewatering the sludge to 24% solids?
(A) 2500 gal/day
(B) 2600 gal/day
(C) 39,000 gal/day
(D) 48,000 gal/day
Hint: This problem can be solved by simple ratios and differences.
P R O F E S S I O N A L P U B L I C A T I O N S , I N C .
56
S I X - M I N U T E S O L U T I O N S F O R C I V I L P E E X A M P R O B L E M S
SOLUTION 52
The average annual demand is 90,000 ac-ft/yr. This is
the slope of the average ow line plotted on the follow-
ing illustration.
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36
50
100
150
200
250
300
time (mo)
m
a
s
s

i
n
f
l
o
w

(
1
0
3

a
c
-
f
t
)
deviation is
40,000 ac-ft
deviation is
38,000 ac-ft
average demand slope
90,000 ac-ft/yr
Lines parallel to the average annual demand slope are
drawn tangent to the maximum points of deviation for
each ll-and-empty cycle of the reservoir. The paral-
lel line pair with the maximum deviation denes the
reservoir capacity.
V required capacity ac-ft
V = 40,000 ac-ft
The answer is (A).
Why Other Options Are Wrong
(B) This incorrect solution adds the volume dened by
the deviation for each ll-and-empty cycle. The illus-
tration is unchanged from the correct solution.
(C) This incorrect solution assumes that the average
annual demand and the reservoir capacity are equal.
(D) This incorrect solution assumes that the average
annual demand multiplied by the number of years of
record is the reservoir capacity.
GROUNDWATER AND WELL FIELDS
SOLUTION 53
g gravitational constant 9.81 m/s
2
k
i
intrinsic permeability cm
2
K
w
hydraulic conductivity
for water cm/s

w
water viscosity 0.013 07 g/cms
at 10

w
water density 0.9997 g/cm
3
at 10

C
k
i
=
K
w

w
g
=

2.0 10
4
cm
s

0.013 07
g
cms

0.9997
g
cm
3

9.81
m
s
2

100
cm
m

= 2.67 10
9
cm
2
K
NAPL
hydraulic conductivity
of NAPL cm/s

f
NAPL viscosity 0.066 g/cms
at 10

f
NAPL density 0.92 g/cm
3
at 10

C
K
NAPL
=
k
i
g
f

f
=
(2.67 10
9
cm
2
)

9.81
m
s
2

0.92
g
cm
3

100
cm
m

0.066
g
cms
= 3.6 10
5
cm/s
The answer is (B).
Why Other Options Are Wrong
(A) This incorrect solution inverts NAPL viscosity and
density. Other assumptions, denitions, and equations
are unchanged from the correct solution.
(C) This incorrect solution uses density of water in-
stead of NAPL. Other assumptions, denitions, and
equations are unchanged from the correct solution.
(D) This incorrect solution uses dynamic viscosity of
water instead of NAPL. Other assumptions, denitions,
and equations are unchanged from the correct solution.
P R O F E S S I O N A L P U B L I C A T I O N S , I N C .
D E P T H S O L U T I O N S
59
A unit area of aquifer 1 m
2
i hydraulic gradient m/m, taken as h/1 m
q vertical ground water
ow rate per unit
area of aquifer m
3
/sm
2
q = KiA
=

0.0168
cm
s

14
cm
m

1 m
2
10 000 cm
2

(1 m
2
)
= 2.35 10
5
m
3
/s for 1 m
2
of aquifer area
The answer is (B).
Why Other Options Are Wrong
(A) This incorrect solution uses the average of the hy-
draulic conductivities and the ratio of the thicknesses of
the ve layers to that of the four layers. Other assump-
tions, denitions, and equations are unchanged from the
correct solution.
(C) This incorrect solution includes all layers in the
calculation for overall hydraulic conductivity, not only
those layers dening the ow path between the screened
intervals of the two wells. Other assumptions, deni-
tions, and equations are unchanged from the correct
solution.
(D) This incorrect solution uses the average hydraulic
conductivity of the soil layers. Other assumptions, def-
initions, and equations are unchanged from the correct
solution.
SOLUTION 58
d
w
well casing diameter ft
h, h
o
height of drawdown
curve measured from the top of
conned aquifer at radial distance
r + r
w
and r
o
+ r
w
from the well ft
K hydraulic conductivity ft/day
m thickness of the conned aquifer ft
Q discharge ow rate ft
3
/sec
r, r
o
radial distances from the well casing ft
r
w
well casing radius ft
Q
d
w
r
o
h
o
m
r
h
radial flow confined aquifer
ground
surface
original
piezometric
surface
drawdown
curve
r
w
=
d
w
2
=
1 ft
2
= 0.5 ft
Q =
2Km(h
o
h)
ln
r
o
+ r
w
r + r
w
=
2

7.3
ft
day

(20 ft)(105 ft 70 ft)

1 day
86,400 sec

ln

120 ft + 0.5 ft
50 ft + 0.5 ft

= 0.43 ft
3
/sec
The answer is (C).
Why Other Options Are Wrong
(A) This incorrect solution improperly applies the dis-
charge ow equation. The illustration and other de-
nitions and equations used in the correct solution are
unchanged.
(B) This incorrect solution neglects to include the nat-
ural log function in the discharge equation. The illus-
tration and other denitions and equations used in the
correct solution are unchanged.
(D) This incorrect solution uses the discharge ow
equation for an unconned aquifer instead of the equa-
tion for a conned aquifer. Other denitions used in
the correct solution are unchanged.
P R O F E S S I O N A L P U B L I C A T I O N S , I N C .