BRAE 340 Problem Set 2

California's agricultural and urban users consume about what portion of its developed water use during an average year?

Ag uses about 41% and urban uses about 10%. Therefore, together they use about 51% of the developed water during an average year. The correct answer is: 51%

In an AVERAGE year, it is estimated that California uses 79.9 MAF of developed water. Identify the percentage (of applied water) used by each of the sectors listed below.

Agricultural - 41% Environmental - 48.5% Urban - 10.5%

Analogous to California gold rush mining law

Appropriative Rights

First in time, first in right

Appropriative Rights

In drought, most recent users can have supply cut to zero before earlier users supply is reduced

Appropriative Rights

A state constitutional requiement that all water resources must be put to beneficial use

Article X, Section 2

The planned use and storage of surface and groundwater supplies to improve water supply reliability

Conjunctive Use

California's urban users consume about what percent of the developed water supply (ignoring all environmental uses) in a dry year?

Developed water supply (ignoring environmental uses) = Ag+ Urban = 36.9 + 9.6 = 46.5 MAF/yr Urban = 9.6 MAF/yr (9.6 MAF/yr) / (46.5 MAF/yr) x 100= 20.6% The correct answer is: 21%

In a normal year, California pumps less groundwater than is returned to its aquifers.

False

All-American Canal

Federal Project/Facility

CVP - Central Valley Project

Federal Project/Facility

Claire Engle Lake

Federal Project/Facility

San Felipe Unit

Federal Project/Facility

Tehama-Colusa Canal

Federal Project/Facility

In many cases, these rights are senior to (older than) rights established under State law

Federal Reserved Rights

Water right dates from time reservation was first established

Federal Reserved Rights

Flow measurement is an important component in agriculture. Which of the following is NOT true?

Flow measurement always conserves water. The act of flow measurement itself does not conserve water. However, the more information that farmers gather allows them to become more efficient.

What is the flow rate in a canal with a flow area of 155 ft2 and an average velocity of 0.8 ft/s?

Flow rate (cfs) = velocity (ft/sec) * area (ft2) GPM = cfs * 448.8 gpm/1 cfs The correct answer is: 55651 gpm

Meter Gate

Head difference and gate opening

Submerged Orifice

Head difference and hole size

Rectangular Weir

Head upstream above the sharp crest

Trapezoidal Weir

Head upstream above the sharp crest

Triangular Weir

Head upstream above the sharp crest

Replogle Flume

Head upstream of the broad crest

Parshall Flume

Head upstream of the throat

ITRC Weir Stick

Head, including run-up, and width

In California, hydraulic mining was stopped in 1884. A major reason for this was that hydraulic mining could no longer recover much gold.

Hydraulic mining washed debris into rivers, causing so many problems for downstream users that the legislature outlawed it in 1884. False

According to data available from the DWR, how many million acre-feet (MAF) of water is applied to agricultural land during a "dry" year?

In a dry year, agriculture uses more water because plant needs do no change and the water available in the soil is less due to less rainfall. Therefore, ag uses 36.9 MAF in a dry year compared to 32.9 MAF in an average year. The correct answer is: 36.9

In 2012, groundwater regulations were added to the program

Irrigation Lands Regulatory Program

Colorado River Aqueduct

Local Project/Facility

San Diego Aqueducts

Local Project/Facility

Equivalent to 1.5 cubic feet of water per minute measured through an orifice

Miner's Inch

Which of the following devices measures the velocity of the water?

Propeller meter

Can allow older, established water rights to be curtailed if necessary to balance competing needs

Public Trust Doctrine

San Diego is one California town which still has significant water rights of this type

Pueblo Rights

Originally derived for use in relatively humid areas

Riparian Rights

Water must be used on land adjacent to the water source and within the watershed of that source

Riparian Rights

Water right is tied to the land and cannot be separated from it

Riparian Rights

California Aqueduct

State Project/Facility

North Bay Aqueduct

State Project/Facility

South Bay Aqueduct

State Project/Facility

Subcritical flow can have multiple water depths with the same flow rate.

Subcritical flow can have different depths and the same flow rate. Critical flow is when one depth is equal to one flow rate. True.

Higher in priority than subordinate rights

Superior Right

Established a framework for sustainable, local groundwater management

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

Governor Brown signed this three-bill package in September of 2014

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

The head measured on a weir is defined as:

The difference between the water surface upstream and the crest height The head measured over the weir is from the crest of the weir to the water surface upstream of the device.

California's agriculture consumes about what portion of its developed water supply during an average year?

Total water use = 79.9 MAF/yr Ag = 32.9 MAF/yr (32.9 MAF/yr) / (79.9 MAF/yr) x 100 = 41% The correct answer is: 41%

Nearly 2/3 of the State's population gets at least some of their drinking water from the Delta.

True

A state agency responsible for managing some water rights and interpreting the law when disputes arise

Water Board

Which of the following typically would NOT impact the distributions of velocities in an irrigation canal?

Water temperature

A direct conveyance system does not need to exist to transfer water

Wheeling

Water agencies' agreement to move water between themselves

Wheeling