Top 12 Study Materials for the WR&E PE Exam ??

If you're taking the self-study route for the Water Resources PE Exam, you’ve probably realized one thing…

There are endless prep materials to choose from — but you can’t grab them all. (And let’s be honest, your wallet wouldn’t appreciate it either. ??)

So, how do you know which ones actually help you crush the exam…without wasting your time and money? ??

We’ve put together a list of 12 proven prep materials that cover all three key areas of a solid exam prep strategy.

If you're going at it solo, this list is your best bet for making the most of your study time. ??

?? 3 Good Review Manuals for You to Choose From

Before we dive in, let’s address the obvious…

Yes, you’ll still need to use the PE Reference Handbook. But let’s be real — it doesn’t teach you anything. It’s just a massive collection of equations, tables, and graphs.

So, here are three solid options to learn the concepts you need, depending on your study approach. ??

A) PE Civil Reference Manual (Good Ol’ CERM)

Even though it doesn’t align exactly with the current exam specifications, the CERM is still a valuable resource. Here’s why…

It’s comprehensive. ??

It teaches you not only the Water Resources topics you need, but also the other breadth topics that still show up in the new “depth-focused” exam format. (Don’t let it fool you!)?

So, if you want to cover all the bases and be ready for anything and everything, the CERM is still a solid choice. ??

B) Water Resources and Environmental Depth Reference Manual

Now, this one is a good option for an in-depth review of Water Resources and Environmental topics specifically.

It was created for the Water Resources Depth section of the “old” exam, but since now the depth section is almost the entire exam, it makes sense to grab this one.

It covers all three main areas tested on the exam, from basic Water Resources concepts to Wastewater and Environmental — two topics most test-takers struggle with the most. ??

So, if you want to dive deep into Water Resources topics and know it inside and out, this is the book to get. ??

C) Civil PE Exam: Water Resources and Environmental Depth Study Guide

If you’re looking for a fast, high-level overview of key theory concepts, this resource is a great pick.

Think of it as a condensed review manual — a study guide that gives you:

?? Concise summaries of all major topics, immediately followed by…

?? 120 practice problems to reinforce those topics.

So, it’s a quicker way to study compared to the other two options, with one big caveat…

?? It was designed for the old breadth-and-depth exam format, so some content may not align perfectly with the new structure. ??

But, if you need a speedy review and extra practice, it’s still a valuable resource. ??

?? 4 Books That Give You 470+ Practice Problems

Now, let’s move on to the second area of any winning exam prep: practice problems.

We harp on this all the time as being the key to passing, and to make sure you do enough of it, here are four books you can grab. ??

A) Six-Minute Solutions for the Civil PE Water Resources Depth Exam

This is another publication by PPI with 100 Water Resources-specific problems.

Since this was created for the old exam format, these 100 problems can be either breadth-type questions (easier) or depth-type questions (harder)...just like you’ll have on exam day anyway.

So, you’ll be getting really good practice for those Water Resources-specific questions that test how well you truly know your depth stuff. ??

B) Water Resources Practice Problems

This is an “oldie but a goodie” by Timothy J Nelson.

It’s a nice package of 111 Water Resources Engineering problems focusing on basic topics every Water Resources Engineer needs to know — hydrology, fluid statics, pumps, etc.

While it doesn’t cover Water Treatment or Wastewater, it’s a really nice book to practice the basics.

If you’ve already finished reviewing all the theory, this is the book to keep brushing up on until your exam day. ??

C) The Essential Guide to Passing the Water Resources PE Exam

This is a book by Dr Jacob Petro, PE that takes a completely different approach. ??

It uses 160 practice problems to help you learn the theory through…wait for it…problem-solving!

Instead of explaining the topics with text, this book uses explanations and visuals throughout the problem-solving steps to help you understand the concepts. ??

This combination of theory review with problem-solving in one package makes this book a solid pick…and it has one of the best reviews on Amazon as well.?

D) 100 Bonus Water Resources Theory Questions

Theory questions make up a huge part of the PE exam, and if you don’t get them right, you risk missing a lot of the questions…which leads to failing the exam altogether. ??

So, after hearing from past CEA students that they were caught by surprise because of this, I sat down with the CEA Team and created the 100 Bonus Water Resources Theory Questions.

This is a compilation of 100 PE Exam-like theory questions to help you prepare for this and be ready when the time comes. ??

??? 5 Practice Exams to Simulate the Real Deal

Finally, the last aspect of any really good, successful exam prep: practice exams.

Nothing prepares you for an exam better than taking full-length, timed practice exams simulating the test conditions — and I already explained why here.

So, here are the best practice exams you can take. ??

A) Official NCEES WR&E PE Practice Exam

This 80-question practice exam is a must. Period.

Because it comes directly from the makers of the test themselves, this will give you a feel for how the NCEES writes the exam questions, how they phrase things, the “tricks” they throw in there that can trip you up, etc.

So, don’t even doubt it if you should get it and take it. Just do it here.

B) Water Resources and Environmental Depth Practice Exams

This is another great publication by PPI that was indeed created for the old PE Exam format…but that doesn’t mean it’s not valuable now.

It comes with two practice exams, each with 40 Water Resources questions, step-by-step solutions, and comments from the authors.

You can take each one of these as half a practice exam in a four-hour chunk to simulate either the morning or the afternoon section of the real deal. ??

C)? The Ultimate Water Resources PE Exam

This is one of our own resources here at CEA to help you on this journey. ? ??

It comes with 80 questions and step-by-step solutions…each one of them referencing the exact section in the handbook or code you need to turn to to solve the problem. ??

This is included in our Water Resources PE Review Course for free, but you can grab it separately as well here. ??

D) The Ultimate PE CBT Exam Simulator

This is a full-blown computer-based test experience we created for you to simulate the real exam long before test day — and at the comfort of your home! ??

You’ll have the questions on the right, searchable handbook and codes on the left, flagging function...and everything you’ll have inside the exam room. That’s a promise.

It’s been battle-tested by hundreds of our PE Course students prepping for their exam, but you can take advantage of it as well if you’re going at it alone by clicking here. ??

Now… Do You REALLY Need to Get All of These?! ??

Of course not! That would be way too expensive. ??

These are not “must-have” resources, meaning you need all of them. Instead, they’re solid picks in case you’re looking for some extra material to help you out. ??

Here are three guidelines I have for you regarding which ones to choose. ??

1?? You need one solid review manual since you do not have access to a review course when you do self-study.

2?? Get as many practice problems as you can. What really matters to pass the PE is practice.

3?? For practice exams, you should take at least two full-length, timed practice exams. (If you can do more, then please, do. ??)

And with that, we're gonna wrap up this one.

These resources will definitely get you where you need to be in your prep to pass if you’re going at it alone. ??

Finally, don't forget to follow Civil Engineering Academy for more helpful tips, tools, and resources we share here to help you pass your professional civil engineering exams. ? ??