2025/2026
BRAE 349 FINAL Exam Questions and Answers
100% Verified | Already Graded A+
QUESTION: How much subsidence has occurred at Mendota, California after groundwater pumping?
a. 2.3 feet
b. Just over 30 feet since 1972
c. About 9 meters since 1920s (according to a published document by Dr. Poland)
d. The ground surface has actually increased due to seismic activity.✓✓Correct Ans- About 9 meters
since 1920s (according to a published document by Dr. Poland)
QUESTION: According to the lecture discussions on water quality, what is the most pressing
groundwater issue?
a. Salinity: Damages crops, inhibits crop yields
b. Calcium: Makes plants susceptible to disease and pests
c Potassium: Kills aquatic life and promotes algae
d. Nitrates: Source of pollution, causes oxygen depletion in water, harmful to the environment (can
cause Blue Baby Syndrome)✓✓Correct Ans- Nitrates: Source of pollution, causes oxygen depletion in
water, harmful to the environment (can cause Blue Baby Syndrome)
QUESTION: Which of the following is NOT a purpose of large California Water Projects (State and
Federal)?
a. Climate Control
b. Delta Water Quality and Outflow Improvement
c. Flood Control
1
, d. Water Supply for Ag, Urban and Environmental Uses
e. Fish and Wildlife Mitigation and Enhancement✓✓Correct Ans- Climate Control
QUESTION: 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 week? Assume grain-fed beef versus grass-fed beef.
a. 39.5 million gallons (or about 121 Acre-Feet)
b. 23.7 billion gallons (or about 72,700 Acre-Feet)
c. 23.7 million gallons (or about 72.7 Acre-Feet)
d. 166 billion gallons (or about 508,900 Acre-Feet)✓✓Correct Ans- 166 billion gallons
QUESTION: Which statement regarding seawater desalination is correct?
a. Even though it consumes power and energy, when compared with the cost of a dam...the cost per-
unit of water for desalination decreases over the years since the filtration system is cheaper despite
not lasting long
b. One way to dispose of the desalination byproduct brine is to apply it along the shoreline since the
brine is environmentally friendly
c. Challenges of desalination include high costs, high energy consumption, and disposal of the brine
d. The cost per unit decreases over the years, and it does not use any power but only a filtration
system✓✓Correct Ans- Challenges of desalination include high costs, high energy consumption, and
disposal of the brine
QUESTION: Which of the following is correct regarding the Colorado River Compact?
a. It was the 23rd interstate agreement in the United States
b. It apportioned 75 million acre-feet annually for 75 years to the upper and lower basins of the
Colorado River
2
, c. It allocates water use between the Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming) and the
Lower Basin (Arizona, California, Nevada) regions
d. It was negotiated by state/federal governments and foreign countries (Mexico) in the 1902
Compact✓✓Correct Ans- It allocates water use between the Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico,
Utah, Wyoming) and the lower basin (Arizona, California, Nevada) regions
QUESTION: Which of the following is true regarding the Mexican Water Treaty of 1944?
a. It allotted 10 million acre-feet of water annually to Mexico from the United States
b. It was generous amount considering the demands from the rapidly increasing population and
agriculture in the Mexicali Valley
c. It dedicated their citizens' portions of water for boating, fishing, environmental and agricultural
use
d. It allocated 1.5 MAF of water annually from the Colorado River to Mexico and also specified the
water quality
e. The treaty allotted Mexico the water quantity of 1.5 MAF but does not have a requirement about
the water quality.✓✓Correct Ans- It allocated 1.5 MAF of water annually from the Colorado River to
Mexico and also specified the water quality
QUESTION: What percent of California groundwater is used as a key source of water in a "normal"
water year based on BRAE349 lecture?
a. 15.8%
b. 95%
c. 42.5%
d. About 30%✓✓Correct Ans- About 30%
QUESTION: According to class lecture, which description of the Carlsbad Desalination Project is NOT
correct?
3
BRAE 349 FINAL Exam Questions and Answers
100% Verified | Already Graded A+
QUESTION: How much subsidence has occurred at Mendota, California after groundwater pumping?
a. 2.3 feet
b. Just over 30 feet since 1972
c. About 9 meters since 1920s (according to a published document by Dr. Poland)
d. The ground surface has actually increased due to seismic activity.✓✓Correct Ans- About 9 meters
since 1920s (according to a published document by Dr. Poland)
QUESTION: According to the lecture discussions on water quality, what is the most pressing
groundwater issue?
a. Salinity: Damages crops, inhibits crop yields
b. Calcium: Makes plants susceptible to disease and pests
c Potassium: Kills aquatic life and promotes algae
d. Nitrates: Source of pollution, causes oxygen depletion in water, harmful to the environment (can
cause Blue Baby Syndrome)✓✓Correct Ans- Nitrates: Source of pollution, causes oxygen depletion in
water, harmful to the environment (can cause Blue Baby Syndrome)
QUESTION: Which of the following is NOT a purpose of large California Water Projects (State and
Federal)?
a. Climate Control
b. Delta Water Quality and Outflow Improvement
c. Flood Control
1
, d. Water Supply for Ag, Urban and Environmental Uses
e. Fish and Wildlife Mitigation and Enhancement✓✓Correct Ans- Climate Control
QUESTION: 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 week? Assume grain-fed beef versus grass-fed beef.
a. 39.5 million gallons (or about 121 Acre-Feet)
b. 23.7 billion gallons (or about 72,700 Acre-Feet)
c. 23.7 million gallons (or about 72.7 Acre-Feet)
d. 166 billion gallons (or about 508,900 Acre-Feet)✓✓Correct Ans- 166 billion gallons
QUESTION: Which statement regarding seawater desalination is correct?
a. Even though it consumes power and energy, when compared with the cost of a dam...the cost per-
unit of water for desalination decreases over the years since the filtration system is cheaper despite
not lasting long
b. One way to dispose of the desalination byproduct brine is to apply it along the shoreline since the
brine is environmentally friendly
c. Challenges of desalination include high costs, high energy consumption, and disposal of the brine
d. The cost per unit decreases over the years, and it does not use any power but only a filtration
system✓✓Correct Ans- Challenges of desalination include high costs, high energy consumption, and
disposal of the brine
QUESTION: Which of the following is correct regarding the Colorado River Compact?
a. It was the 23rd interstate agreement in the United States
b. It apportioned 75 million acre-feet annually for 75 years to the upper and lower basins of the
Colorado River
2
, c. It allocates water use between the Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming) and the
Lower Basin (Arizona, California, Nevada) regions
d. It was negotiated by state/federal governments and foreign countries (Mexico) in the 1902
Compact✓✓Correct Ans- It allocates water use between the Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico,
Utah, Wyoming) and the lower basin (Arizona, California, Nevada) regions
QUESTION: Which of the following is true regarding the Mexican Water Treaty of 1944?
a. It allotted 10 million acre-feet of water annually to Mexico from the United States
b. It was generous amount considering the demands from the rapidly increasing population and
agriculture in the Mexicali Valley
c. It dedicated their citizens' portions of water for boating, fishing, environmental and agricultural
use
d. It allocated 1.5 MAF of water annually from the Colorado River to Mexico and also specified the
water quality
e. The treaty allotted Mexico the water quantity of 1.5 MAF but does not have a requirement about
the water quality.✓✓Correct Ans- It allocated 1.5 MAF of water annually from the Colorado River to
Mexico and also specified the water quality
QUESTION: What percent of California groundwater is used as a key source of water in a "normal"
water year based on BRAE349 lecture?
a. 15.8%
b. 95%
c. 42.5%
d. About 30%✓✓Correct Ans- About 30%
QUESTION: According to class lecture, which description of the Carlsbad Desalination Project is NOT
correct?
3
