BRAE 349 FINAL UPDATED Questions
and CORRECT Answers
What is the lift and combined horsepower of the Edmonston Pumping Plant that moves water
over the Tehachapi Mountains to Southern California? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1,926
feet and 1,120,000 Horsepower
Assuming you could...roughly how much time would it take to count the water
molecules (H2O) in one small drop of water at a rate of one per second? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔300 billion centuries
Assuming the population in California is 39.5 million, how many gallons of water would be
needed to make the food to create 1 hamburger (use the quarter-pounder from lecture) for
lunch for 1 day? Assume grain-fed beef versus grass-fed beef. - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔23.7 billion gallons (or about 72,700 Acre-Feet)
What prominent position did Cal Poly grad Randy Record hold with respect to
California water? Hint: Google search encouraged - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Chairman of
the Board - Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
From the water allocated to California from the Colorado River in a "normal" year, how
much of the 4.4 million acre-feet allocation is used by agriculture as senior water rights? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔87.5%
Which of the following represent relatively "new" sources of water in California? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Seawater Desalination
-Treated wastewater
-Improved efficiency for ag and urban water use
Why are nitrates in the groundwater an issue? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Nitrates can cause
health problems such as Blue Baby Syndrome
What is one of the greatest issues in California's hydrology? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A
majority of the water is in the northern part of the state, but a majority of
, the population is in the southern part of the state.
What percent of California groundwater is used as a key source of water in a normal
water year? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔30%
Which of the following are guiding principles of the 2020 Water Resilience Plan? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a) Strengthen partnerships with local, federal and tribal
governments, water agencies and irrigation districts, and other stakeholders
b) Integrate investments, policies, and programs across state government
c) Prioritize multi-benefit approaches that meet several needs at once
d) Utilize natural infrastructure such as forests and floodplains
e) Embrace innovation and new technologies
f) Incorporate successful approaches from other parts of the world
g) Encourage regional approaches among water users sharing watersheds
h) Prioritize urban water use above all other water users
How did California miners in the mid-1800s get the hydraulic mining nozzles to
work? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Hydraulic pressure from upstream water source
How much subsidence allegedly occurred between 1925-1977 at the site near Mendota,
California (documented by Dr. Poland)? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔8.9 meters (29.2 ft)
According to the lecture, NRDC/Pacific Institute posted a chart where ag is wasting
water in California. How much water did they claim that agriculture users are wasting with
poor irrigation practices? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔5.6 - 6.6 mAF
According to the Randy Record interview, what is the biggest challenge in the future
for the sustainability/reliability for MET? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Climate
change/variability
Which of the following is NOT a reason why there is pushback from building more water
storage in California? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Urban use
and CORRECT Answers
What is the lift and combined horsepower of the Edmonston Pumping Plant that moves water
over the Tehachapi Mountains to Southern California? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1,926
feet and 1,120,000 Horsepower
Assuming you could...roughly how much time would it take to count the water
molecules (H2O) in one small drop of water at a rate of one per second? - CORRECT
ANSWER- ✔✔300 billion centuries
Assuming the population in California is 39.5 million, how many gallons of water would be
needed to make the food to create 1 hamburger (use the quarter-pounder from lecture) for
lunch for 1 day? Assume grain-fed beef versus grass-fed beef. - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔23.7 billion gallons (or about 72,700 Acre-Feet)
What prominent position did Cal Poly grad Randy Record hold with respect to
California water? Hint: Google search encouraged - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Chairman of
the Board - Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
From the water allocated to California from the Colorado River in a "normal" year, how
much of the 4.4 million acre-feet allocation is used by agriculture as senior water rights? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔87.5%
Which of the following represent relatively "new" sources of water in California? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Seawater Desalination
-Treated wastewater
-Improved efficiency for ag and urban water use
Why are nitrates in the groundwater an issue? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Nitrates can cause
health problems such as Blue Baby Syndrome
What is one of the greatest issues in California's hydrology? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A
majority of the water is in the northern part of the state, but a majority of
, the population is in the southern part of the state.
What percent of California groundwater is used as a key source of water in a normal
water year? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔30%
Which of the following are guiding principles of the 2020 Water Resilience Plan? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔a) Strengthen partnerships with local, federal and tribal
governments, water agencies and irrigation districts, and other stakeholders
b) Integrate investments, policies, and programs across state government
c) Prioritize multi-benefit approaches that meet several needs at once
d) Utilize natural infrastructure such as forests and floodplains
e) Embrace innovation and new technologies
f) Incorporate successful approaches from other parts of the world
g) Encourage regional approaches among water users sharing watersheds
h) Prioritize urban water use above all other water users
How did California miners in the mid-1800s get the hydraulic mining nozzles to
work? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Hydraulic pressure from upstream water source
How much subsidence allegedly occurred between 1925-1977 at the site near Mendota,
California (documented by Dr. Poland)? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔8.9 meters (29.2 ft)
According to the lecture, NRDC/Pacific Institute posted a chart where ag is wasting
water in California. How much water did they claim that agriculture users are wasting with
poor irrigation practices? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔5.6 - 6.6 mAF
According to the Randy Record interview, what is the biggest challenge in the future
for the sustainability/reliability for MET? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Climate
change/variability
Which of the following is NOT a reason why there is pushback from building more water
storage in California? - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Urban use
