History of SWP
History of CRA
State Water Project (SWP)
Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA)
Miscellaneous
100
Why was the State Water Project started?
Possible answers:
- Supports agriculture in the Central Valley
- Helps recharge groundwater
- Reduces drought impacts
- Delivers a more reliable water supply to Southern California
100
What was the first piece of infrastructure implemented in the Colorado River Aqueduct?
Intake Pumping Plant at Parker Dam, or Parker Dam
100
What is the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?
Possible Answers:
- The central hub where fresh water is collected from Northern California rivers
- A vast maze of waterways and islands where the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meet
- Where fresh river water mixes with salt water from the San Francisco Bay, creating a unique brackish ecosystem (Estuary)
100
What is Lake Havasu?
Stores Colorado River water and serves as the intake point, created by Parker Dam
100
True or False: The SWP functions as one of the world's largest public water and power utilities
True
200
What % of the water provided by the SWP is used for urban areas and industry?
about 70%
200
Why was the Colorado River Aqueduct started/created?
In the 1920s, Los Angeles's water from the Owens Valley was insufficient for its rapid growth, prompting a search for new sources and the eventual creation of the Colorado River Aqueduct
200
How many Californians does the SWP supply water to?
27 million
200
What is the purpose of the Colorado River Aqueduct?
Possible Answers:
- Supplies water to Los Angeles, San Diego, and inland communities
- Supports farmland in Imperial Valley — one of the most productive farm regions in the nation
- Provides a backup supply during Northern California droughts
- Helps balance California’s entire water system
200
How many fish species are in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?
over 50 species
300
What was the first piece of infrastructure implemented in the State Water Project?
The South Bay Aqueduct was the first piece of infrastructure completed as part of the State Water Project, with initial water deliveries to Alameda County beginning in 1962.
300
Who started the Colorado River Aqueduct?
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
300
How long is the California Aqueduct?
444 miles
300
What part of the Colorado River Aqueduct is this:
Hoover Dam
300
How much water from rainfall is lost to evapotranspiration each year in California?
about 60 percent
400
Who first proposed the idea of the State Water Project?
The idea of a statewide water development project was first proposed in 1919 by Lt. Robert B. Marshall
400
How many jobs did the Colorado River Aqueduct supply during the Great Depression?
30,000 people
400
What is the purpose of the Oraville Dam?
It stores water and controls flooding, and it supplies water into the system during dry months
400
How much water does the Colorado River Aqueduct move each day?
1 billion gallons
400
How much of California receives water from the SWP?
The SWP supplies water to 2/3 of California's population and farms