ENVE Urban Systems Practice Exam

LID BMPs aim to manage stormwater close to where it falls by mimicking natural hydrology, which means keeping water on the site, letting it infiltrate, evapotranspire, or be treated before it leaves. The goal is to reduce both the amount of runoff (its quantity) and the pollutants it carries, so downstream flows are less flashy and cleaner. Techniques like rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavement, green roofs, and rain barrels put water back into the ground or atmosphere rather than sending it straight to streams. This is why the best choice is to reduce runoff quantity and pollution. The other options don’t fit because increasing runoff harms systems, eliminating permits isn’t a BMP goal, and focusing only on nutrients ignores the broader pollution and flooding issues LID addresses.