TEXAS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING LICENSING
EXAM ACTUAL 2026 VERIFIED QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS COMPREHENSIVE &
RATIONALE|INSTANT DOWNLOAD
1. A licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Agricultural Engineering
is asked to design a center-pivot irrigation system for a 160-acre
square field. The crop requires 0.30 inches of water per day during
peak demand. Assuming 85% irrigation efficiency, what gross
depth of water must the system apply daily?
A. 0.255 inches/day
B. 0.300 inches/day
C. 0.353 inches/day
D. 0.400 inches/day
Answer: C. 0.353 inches/day
Rationale: Gross irrigation depth equals net requirement divided by
irrigation efficiency: 0.30 ÷ 0.85 = 0.353 inches/day. Engineers must
always account for system losses due to evaporation, wind drift, runoff,
and distribution inefficiencies.
2. Which soil texture generally possesses the highest available water-
holding capacity for agricultural production?
A. Sand
B. Loamy sand
C. Silt loam
D. Gravel
1
,Answer: C. Silt loam
Rationale: Silt loam combines favorable pore distribution with high
field capacity while maintaining sufficient drainage. Sands drain
rapidly, while heavy clays retain water too tightly for plant uptake.
3. The primary purpose of subsurface drainage in agricultural fields is
to:
A. Increase fertilizer concentration
B. Reduce groundwater recharge
C. Lower the water table
D. Increase runoff velocity
Answer: C. Lower the water table
Rationale: Subsurface drainage removes excess water from the root
zone, improves soil aeration, reduces salinity, increases machinery
accessibility, and enhances crop growth.
4. A pump delivers 1,500 gpm against a total dynamic head of 120 ft.
If pump efficiency is 78%, what brake horsepower is required?
A. 39 hp
B. 58 hp
C. 75 hp
D. 93 hp
Answer: B. 58 hp
2
,Rationale: Water horsepower = (Flow × Head)/3960 =
(1500×120)/3960 = 45.45 hp. Brake horsepower = 45.45/0.78 = 58.3
hp.
5. Which irrigation method typically has the highest application
efficiency under properly managed conditions?
A. Furrow irrigation
B. Flood irrigation
C. Center pivot
D. Drip irrigation
Answer: D. Drip irrigation
Rationale: Drip irrigation commonly achieves efficiencies above 90–
95% by delivering water directly to the root zone with minimal
evaporation and runoff.
6. Which engineering property primarily governs infiltration into
agricultural soils?
A. Soil color
B. Hydraulic conductivity
C. Bulk density only
D. Organic matter only
Answer: B. Hydraulic conductivity
Rationale: Hydraulic conductivity determines how rapidly water moves
through saturated soil and is the principal parameter governing
infiltration and drainage.
3
, 7. Conservation tillage primarily reduces:
A. Crop yield
B. Soil erosion
C. Nitrogen fixation
D. Soil temperature
Answer: B. Soil erosion
Rationale: Residue left on the soil surface protects against raindrop
impact, reduces runoff velocity, increases infiltration, and significantly
decreases erosion.
8. The principal factor controlling wind erosion potential is:
A. Atmospheric pressure
B. Soil particle detachment and wind velocity
C. Relative humidity only
D. Cloud cover
Answer: B. Soil particle detachment and wind velocity
Rationale: Wind erosion depends primarily on soil particle size, surface
roughness, moisture content, and wind speed exceeding threshold
velocity.
9. Which equation is commonly used to estimate soil loss from water
erosion?
A. Manning Equation
B. Darcy-Weisbach Equation
4
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING LICENSING
EXAM ACTUAL 2026 VERIFIED QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS COMPREHENSIVE &
RATIONALE|INSTANT DOWNLOAD
1. A licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Agricultural Engineering
is asked to design a center-pivot irrigation system for a 160-acre
square field. The crop requires 0.30 inches of water per day during
peak demand. Assuming 85% irrigation efficiency, what gross
depth of water must the system apply daily?
A. 0.255 inches/day
B. 0.300 inches/day
C. 0.353 inches/day
D. 0.400 inches/day
Answer: C. 0.353 inches/day
Rationale: Gross irrigation depth equals net requirement divided by
irrigation efficiency: 0.30 ÷ 0.85 = 0.353 inches/day. Engineers must
always account for system losses due to evaporation, wind drift, runoff,
and distribution inefficiencies.
2. Which soil texture generally possesses the highest available water-
holding capacity for agricultural production?
A. Sand
B. Loamy sand
C. Silt loam
D. Gravel
1
,Answer: C. Silt loam
Rationale: Silt loam combines favorable pore distribution with high
field capacity while maintaining sufficient drainage. Sands drain
rapidly, while heavy clays retain water too tightly for plant uptake.
3. The primary purpose of subsurface drainage in agricultural fields is
to:
A. Increase fertilizer concentration
B. Reduce groundwater recharge
C. Lower the water table
D. Increase runoff velocity
Answer: C. Lower the water table
Rationale: Subsurface drainage removes excess water from the root
zone, improves soil aeration, reduces salinity, increases machinery
accessibility, and enhances crop growth.
4. A pump delivers 1,500 gpm against a total dynamic head of 120 ft.
If pump efficiency is 78%, what brake horsepower is required?
A. 39 hp
B. 58 hp
C. 75 hp
D. 93 hp
Answer: B. 58 hp
2
,Rationale: Water horsepower = (Flow × Head)/3960 =
(1500×120)/3960 = 45.45 hp. Brake horsepower = 45.45/0.78 = 58.3
hp.
5. Which irrigation method typically has the highest application
efficiency under properly managed conditions?
A. Furrow irrigation
B. Flood irrigation
C. Center pivot
D. Drip irrigation
Answer: D. Drip irrigation
Rationale: Drip irrigation commonly achieves efficiencies above 90–
95% by delivering water directly to the root zone with minimal
evaporation and runoff.
6. Which engineering property primarily governs infiltration into
agricultural soils?
A. Soil color
B. Hydraulic conductivity
C. Bulk density only
D. Organic matter only
Answer: B. Hydraulic conductivity
Rationale: Hydraulic conductivity determines how rapidly water moves
through saturated soil and is the principal parameter governing
infiltration and drainage.
3
, 7. Conservation tillage primarily reduces:
A. Crop yield
B. Soil erosion
C. Nitrogen fixation
D. Soil temperature
Answer: B. Soil erosion
Rationale: Residue left on the soil surface protects against raindrop
impact, reduces runoff velocity, increases infiltration, and significantly
decreases erosion.
8. The principal factor controlling wind erosion potential is:
A. Atmospheric pressure
B. Soil particle detachment and wind velocity
C. Relative humidity only
D. Cloud cover
Answer: B. Soil particle detachment and wind velocity
Rationale: Wind erosion depends primarily on soil particle size, surface
roughness, moisture content, and wind speed exceeding threshold
velocity.
9. Which equation is commonly used to estimate soil loss from water
erosion?
A. Manning Equation
B. Darcy-Weisbach Equation
4
