California Water Rights, Rules, and Regulations (California) Questions and Answers 100% Pass

California Water Rights, Rules, and Regulations (California) Questions and Answers 100% Pass How does the law define surface water? Water that is found on the top of gravel, dirt, or rocks Water that falls and spreads naturally over lands Water that has touched air outside caves Water that is not bottled or otherwise potted Water that falls and spreads naturally over lands The two main systems controlling water rights are Prior appropriation and Riparian rights. Percolating water rights and Riparian rights. Consumptive rights and nonconsumptive rights. Groundwater and Surface water rights. Prior appropriation and Riparian rights. American Water law began in which country? Spain France Canada England England Under the early American common law, what rights do all American citizens have in public waterways? The right to cultivate oysters, mussels, and clams within the shallows The right to purchase and restrict usage of public waterways The right to use the water for swimming and recreation The right to navigate the waterways by boat The right to navigate the waterways by boat If a homeowner with access to a river on their property begins to put the water in barrels, they own that water because they have captured it. Which of the following would end their ownership of the water? Transferring the water into smaller barrels An enterprising thief steals the barrels from the homeowner's property Paying a neighbor $20 a month to store the water barrels in the neighbor's cellar Pouring the water back into the river Pouring the water back into the river Roughly how much of America's population lives in counties that are on the shoreline? 20% 40% 60% 80% 40% What happened at Mono Lake? The local Osprey began building nests in the pipes that draw the water from the lake, reducing LA's water collection efforts. Los Angeles drained too much water from the lake, and the drain caused an overabundance of salt in the water. The lake was evaporating during a hot series of summers, so Californian cities were ordered to reduce their consumption. Los Angeles became aware it was draining too much water from the lake and began drawing from the Colorado River instead. Los Angeles drained too much water from the lake, and the drain caused an overabundance of salt in the water Which of the following would likely have the most senior water right? An prospector's old 1844 mining operation that was purchased in 1915 and set to new use after decades of abandonment. A tribal fishing ground that was included in an 1860 treaty officially establishing the tribe. An apple orchard that has been using water since 1855. A farm that had a river going through it in 1830. The river dried up in 1880 but after a damming operation in 1940 has come rushing back to its former strength. An apple orchard that has been using water since 1855. What likely caused the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Flint, Michigan? Overuse of polycarbon plastics in the water pipes Failure to sufficiently chlorinate the water mains An extensive and hot summer that caused an algae bloom in the main reservoir The water was allowed to stagnate in an aboveground reservoir for too long Failure to sufficiently chlorinate the water mains If California applies the planned water rations in 2030, what is the maximum amount of water a resident will be permitted to use per day during a summer drought? 500 gallons per day 100 gallons per day 50 gallons per day 10 gallons per day 50 gallons per day California has a patchwork of water rights. Which of the following system of rights is NOT found somewhere around the state? Prior Appropriation rights. Riparian rights. Pueblo rights. Proprietary Ownership rights. California has a patchwork of water rights. Which of the following system of rights is NOT found somewhere around the state? Prior Appropriation rights. Riparian rights. Pueblo rights. Proprietary Ownership rights. Proprietary Ownership rights. As a hybrid system, California has a combination of riparian and prior appropriation rights (based on the land that the water is attached to). A small handful of formerly Spanish and Mexican towns play by Pueblo rights, which is a third manner of deciding water ownership. Which of the following is a federal water law that will affect real estate businesses and clients? The Sanitary Water Assurance Act The American Unpolluted Watercourse Act The Clean Water Act The Untamed Waterways Act The Clean Water Act The two federal water laws that will impact clients and their homes will be the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. These acts will limit the uses of some water and will potentially provide legal responses to water pollution. What does the Clean Water Act do? Requires that water regulated by the EPA meet quality standards with low pollution, toxin, and odor standards Ensures that all water in the United States is usable by all citizens of the country Requires that a landowner limit the agricultural runoff that reaches any waterway that feeds into an ocean or sea Defines the amount of particulate matter that can be suspended in any water that will eventually be consumed Requires that water regulated by the EPA meet quality standards with low pollution, toxin, and odor standards The Clean Water Act establishes the bodies of water that are subject to federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The Clean Water Act ensures that those waters meet certain quality standards, limiting pollution, toxins, odors, pollutants, and degradation of the area. The Safe Drinking Water Act defines water quality in potable water. Which of the following is NOT a step involved in obtaining a water rights permit in California? Testing the water quality to ensure it is drinkable. Public notice and protest resolution. Submitting the application to the Water Board. Environmental review. Testing the water quality to ensure it is drinkable. The six steps in obtaining a permit are (1) acceptance of application within 30 days of submission, (2) environmental review as required by the California Environmental Quality Act, (3) water availability analysis, (4) a check to see that the project is in compliance with local policies, (5) public notice and protest resolution where the public may protest the issuing of a permit and require the Board to make a good faith effort to resolve their complaints, and (6) permit issuance if all other concerns are met. There are other tests and procedures that can be taken, but those six steps are the minimum requirements. Californians can lease water back to the river for instream purposes under Water Code Chapter 1.5, § 1020. The water right owner can only lease a certain amount of the water away, they still have to make beneficial use of the remaining portion of the water. What percentage of an individual's water right can be leased? 25% 40% 50% 75% 25% The water code only allows a water right holder to lease up to 25% of their overall water right. The individual must still make beneficial use of the remaining 75% or they stand to lose the improperly used water. For example, if the person has the right to 8 acre inches on their property, they can lease 2 of those acre inches back to the river; the remaining 6 inches must be beneficially used. Buying a waterfront home oftentimes means the buyer will be required to purchase a water permit. Adirondack chairs. chlorination services. flood insurance. flood insurance. When a well runs dry, one way to bring new water to the system is through hydrofracking. What is hydrofracking? Injecting water into the bedrock to break it in hopes that underground aquifers will refill the well. Blasting water into the base of the well to deepen it. Refilling the well with water. Using low-powered explosives to access underground aquifers to refill the well. Injecting water into the bedrock to break it in hopes that underground aquifers will refill the well. When tasting well water you detect a metallic tang. What is the likely contaminant in this well? Acidity or iron in the water. Calcium or magnesium salt in the water. Air bubbles in the piping. High sodium content in the water. Acidity or iron in the water. Do you smell an old egg? What is the most likely cause of this smell in well water? Decaying organic matter. Bacteria. Chlorine. Sodium. Bacteria. Most likely, when the water smells like a rotten egg, it's contaminated with bacteria or sulfur. When the smell comes from the hot water, it's likely that the contamination is bacteria based. The well on a property begins to run low. The homeowner removes the well cap and drops in an ice cube. It takes three seconds from releasing the ice cube to hear a splash. Roughly how deep is the well's water level? 144 feet. The equation for approximate depth of the well's water level is 16 x time x time. Therefore, 16 x 3 x 3 is 144 feet.