This book contains 110 Water Resources and Environmental depth questions and 50 relevant breadth questions, for a total of 160 questions. Each solution is explained in detail, with theory explanations provided when necessary. Solutions are referenced in an easy-to-understand manner.
The book earns its name as a Guide in the form of Questions because it takes you on a journey through learning Water Resources and Environmental engineering via well-thought-out questions. These questions provide nearly full coverage of the required NCEES exam specifications.
Unlike the short, straightforward questions in this guide, some are intentionally longer and more comprehensive. They aim to enhance understanding across all aspects of water resources and environmental engineering, ultimately preparing you to pass the PE exam.
Every question in this book is accompanied by detailed figures that serve as visual aids to facilitate understanding. Additionally, step-by-step solutions are provided, along with thorough explanations of the theory and proper referencing.
Lastly, this book offers an alternative to expensive courses and costly resources. It provides a simple yet highly effective way to learn at a fraction of the cost.
Introduction to the Book
This book features 160 comprehensive questions aimed at ensuring you pass the exam on your first try. Each question is educational and designed to cover a wide range of topics, with no straightforward answers. Almost everyone who has purchased this book, studied thoroughly, and taken the exam reports that it made passing significantly easier. The questions are organized into seven parts:
- Project Planning – Covers topics relevant to cost estimating and scheduling, including economic analysis such as present worth and lifecycle cost, and other project management knowledge areas in the exam specifications.
- Soil Mechanics and Materials – Includes questions on soil sampling, geotechnical evaluation, slope assessment, consolidation, laboratory tests, and evaluation of pipes and pipe materials, along with other relevant topics.
- Hydraulics – Closed Conduit and Open Channel – Focuses on fluid mechanics principles, pressure evaluation on gates, viscosity, flow characteristics, the impulse momentum principle, head losses in pipes and channels, pump cavitation, pipe networks, energy diagrams, and various scenarios involving culverts and gutter flow.
- Hydrology, Surface Water, Ground Water & Wells – Analyzes storm events and runoff methods, including rainfall intensity, pond design, hydrographs, groundwater concepts like aquifers, hydraulic conductivity, Darcy’s law, and Dupuit’s formula.
- Analysis and Design – Water, Wastewater & Quality – Covers mass conversions, continuity laws, oxygen demand, aeration rates, Monod kinetics for growth modelling, drinking water equivalent levels (DWELs), and chronic daily intake for contaminated waters. Includes wastewater collection and treatment processes, head losses, primary treatment design, and advanced treatment methods.
- Water Distribution Systems – Discusses distribution and treatment processes, storage, mixing and flocculator design, adsorption and air stripping methods, hardness removal, and chlorination/dechlorination calculations.
- Project Site Work – Contains questions on excavations, mass haul diagrams, site layout, erosion control, construction safety, drainage channel calculations, and basic horizontal and vertical curves, including retaining walls and lateral pressure hydraulics.
All answers are detailed and well-referenced, with links to relevant design manuals and codes for your benefit.
The online Water Resources and Environmental Civil Practice Exam have been developed to provide a balanced distribution of question difficulty, along with a representative mix of conceptual and calculation-based problems.
Using both the online Practice Exam and the Essential Guide together provides a complete study strategy, reinforcing key concepts and maximizing your preparedness for the Water Resources and Environmental Civil PE examination.
