BRAE 349 Final Exam Questions and Answers Latest Update 2025
What percent of California groundwater is used as a key source of water in a normal water year based
on lecture? - Answers 30%
Why is reservoir storage needed in California? - Answers Difference between supply and demand of the
snow pack/rainfall runoff water
What is the lift (in feet) and combined horsepower of the Edmonston Pumping Plant that moves water
over the Tehachapi Mountains to Southern California? - Answers 1,926 feet and 1,120,000 Horsepower
How much water is stored as groundwater in California (reservoir storage is about 40 Million AF)? -
Answers 850 million AF
What is one of the greatest issues in California's hydrology? - Answers A majority of the rain water falls
in the northern part of the state, but a majority of the population is in the southern part of the state.
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? - Answers 300 billion centuries
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? - Answers 87.5%
Why are nitrates in the groundwater an issue? - Answers Nitrates can cause health problems such as
Blue Baby Syndrome
When were the state water projects constructed in California? - Answers 1960s
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. - Answers 23.7 billion gallons (or about 72,700 Acre-Feet)
How much subsidence has occurred at Mendota, California after groundwater pumping? - Answers
About 30 feet (according to Dr. Poland)
Which of the following represent relatively "new" sources of water in California? - Answers All of the
above
What is one of the biggest issues with the San Francisco Delta? - Answers Seawater intrusion into
Southern California's drinking water system after levee failure
Does drip irrigation save water in most ag operations? - Answers No, it most cases it will increase water
used by 10-15%. This is due to plants doing much better with drip irrigation. This translates to higher
yields but the plants are also transpiring more.
, How did California miners in the mid-1800s get the hydraulic mining nozzles to work? - Answers
Hydraulic pressure from upstream water source
According to the Randy Record interview, what is the biggest challenge in the future for the
sustainability/reliability for MET? - Answers Climate change/variability
In an agricultural operation, water that moves past the root zone moves to the aquifer. What happens
to this water? - Answers It is typically reused by other users in a basin (ag and M&I)
Was hydraulic mining considered a sustainable method to mine gold? - Answers d. Answers b and c are
both correct
How much subsidence allegedly occurred between 1925-1977 at the site near Mendota, California
(documented by Dr. Poland)? - Answers 8.9 meters (29.2 ft)
How much water is used in a "normal" year by the different users? - Answers 50% environmental, 40%
ag, and 10% urban
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? -
Answers 5.6 - 6.6 mAF
What has the groundwater storage change been in the southern San Joaquin Valley in the last 60 years?
- Answers Decrease in groundwater storage of over 60 million acre-feet, which is unsustainable
Which statement is true? - Answers California's population grew by 700% in the last 90 years. This
growth rate is unsustainable.
Which of the following is NOT a reason why there is pushback from building more water storage in
California? - Answers Urban use
From the interview with Randy Record (former MET Chair), how much did the MET water demand
change between 1990 and 2020? - Answers From 2.2 mAF in 1990 to 1.4 mAF in 2020 (even though the
population has gone up)
Who makes the water laws in California? - Answers CA governor, legislature, and courts
Who owns the surface water supply in California? - Answers Public (via the public trust doctrine)
According to Kimberly Brown, what is a key characteristic that makes a groundwater recharge/banking
facility a good investment to maintain the sustainability/reliability for the southern San Joaquin Valley? -
Answers Beneficial in a dry year since the water cost can be about 10% of the surface water cost to
pump and use
Evaporation losses are minimal compared to surface storage options. Only 10% is lost in the accounting
due to the nature of keeping track of water molecules
What percent of California groundwater is used as a key source of water in a normal water year based
on lecture? - Answers 30%
Why is reservoir storage needed in California? - Answers Difference between supply and demand of the
snow pack/rainfall runoff water
What is the lift (in feet) and combined horsepower of the Edmonston Pumping Plant that moves water
over the Tehachapi Mountains to Southern California? - Answers 1,926 feet and 1,120,000 Horsepower
How much water is stored as groundwater in California (reservoir storage is about 40 Million AF)? -
Answers 850 million AF
What is one of the greatest issues in California's hydrology? - Answers A majority of the rain water falls
in the northern part of the state, but a majority of the population is in the southern part of the state.
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? - Answers 300 billion centuries
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? - Answers 87.5%
Why are nitrates in the groundwater an issue? - Answers Nitrates can cause health problems such as
Blue Baby Syndrome
When were the state water projects constructed in California? - Answers 1960s
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. - Answers 23.7 billion gallons (or about 72,700 Acre-Feet)
How much subsidence has occurred at Mendota, California after groundwater pumping? - Answers
About 30 feet (according to Dr. Poland)
Which of the following represent relatively "new" sources of water in California? - Answers All of the
above
What is one of the biggest issues with the San Francisco Delta? - Answers Seawater intrusion into
Southern California's drinking water system after levee failure
Does drip irrigation save water in most ag operations? - Answers No, it most cases it will increase water
used by 10-15%. This is due to plants doing much better with drip irrigation. This translates to higher
yields but the plants are also transpiring more.
, How did California miners in the mid-1800s get the hydraulic mining nozzles to work? - Answers
Hydraulic pressure from upstream water source
According to the Randy Record interview, what is the biggest challenge in the future for the
sustainability/reliability for MET? - Answers Climate change/variability
In an agricultural operation, water that moves past the root zone moves to the aquifer. What happens
to this water? - Answers It is typically reused by other users in a basin (ag and M&I)
Was hydraulic mining considered a sustainable method to mine gold? - Answers d. Answers b and c are
both correct
How much subsidence allegedly occurred between 1925-1977 at the site near Mendota, California
(documented by Dr. Poland)? - Answers 8.9 meters (29.2 ft)
How much water is used in a "normal" year by the different users? - Answers 50% environmental, 40%
ag, and 10% urban
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? -
Answers 5.6 - 6.6 mAF
What has the groundwater storage change been in the southern San Joaquin Valley in the last 60 years?
- Answers Decrease in groundwater storage of over 60 million acre-feet, which is unsustainable
Which statement is true? - Answers California's population grew by 700% in the last 90 years. This
growth rate is unsustainable.
Which of the following is NOT a reason why there is pushback from building more water storage in
California? - Answers Urban use
From the interview with Randy Record (former MET Chair), how much did the MET water demand
change between 1990 and 2020? - Answers From 2.2 mAF in 1990 to 1.4 mAF in 2020 (even though the
population has gone up)
Who makes the water laws in California? - Answers CA governor, legislature, and courts
Who owns the surface water supply in California? - Answers Public (via the public trust doctrine)
According to Kimberly Brown, what is a key characteristic that makes a groundwater recharge/banking
facility a good investment to maintain the sustainability/reliability for the southern San Joaquin Valley? -
Answers Beneficial in a dry year since the water cost can be about 10% of the surface water cost to
pump and use
Evaporation losses are minimal compared to surface storage options. Only 10% is lost in the accounting
due to the nature of keeping track of water molecules
