"Quacker Questions" - a Ballona Creek Quiz for All Ages (Added to 9/11/03) 1

FLORA / FAUNA

(1) What is a "native" plant?
(a) a plant that used to grow in an area before people came
(b) a colorful plant used by Native Americans
(c) a plant that only grows in the summer
(d) a plant with small, green pointed leaves
ANSWER:

(2) What is an "exotic" plant?
(a) a plant with colorful leaves and flowers
(b) a plant that did not grow in an area before people came
(c) a plant used in Native American ceremonies
(d) a plant that eats insects
ANSWER:

(3) TRUE OR FALSE? Native plants are a good thing to have along Ballona Creek because they provide a home to wetland and stream birds, butterflies and insects.

(4) TRUE OR FALSE? Exotic plants can be harmful along Ballona Creek because they upset the balance of nature of the existing habitat.

(5) Who created a butterfly garden near Ballona Creek?
(a) Culver Middle School
(b) Sony
(c) Tree People
(d) all of the above
ANSWER:

(6) TRUE OR FALSE? These plants might have grown by Ballona Creek before it was made into a concrete channel: willow, alder, sycamore, rushes and reeds.

(7) What trees grow by Ballona Creek today?
(a) eucalyptus
(b) palm trees
(c) a combination of native and nonnative trees
(d) all of the above
ANSWER:

(8) Which birds can be found using Ballona Creek?
(a) ducks
(b) herons
(c) pelicans
(d) barn swallows
(e) all of the above
ANSWER:

(9) TRUE OR FALSE? Fish live in the Culver City part of Ballona Creek.

(10) TRUE OR FALSE? Seals sometimes swim near the mouth of the Ballona Creek.

(11) YOUNG CHILDREN: Which animal is NOT found by Ballona Creek?
(a) frog
(b) pelican
(c) duck
(d) tiger
Answer:

(13) VERY EASY: What color is on the bottom of the duck)?

"Quacker Questions" - a Ballona Creek Quiz for All Ages (Rev. April 26,2003) 2

FLORA / FAUNA (cont.)

(14) VERY EASY: Have you heard of Ballona Creek?

(15) VERY EASY: Do you know where Ballona Creek is?

HISTORY

(1) What does "Ballona" mean?
(a) balloon
(b) nonsense
(c) sausage
(d) no one knows for sure (Ideas include a misspelling of Spanish word for whale [ballena] and the name of a city or region in Spain [Bayona].)
ANSWER:

(2) Which ranching families were early settlers in the Ballona Valley?
(a) Ross
(b) Astor
(c) Machado
(d) Lugo
ANSWER:

(3) Who built the Ballona Creek channel?
(a) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(b) the U.S. Navy Seabees
(c) Culver City Public Works Department
(d) MGM Studios
ANSWER:

(4) TRUE OR FALSE
Over 80 years ago Ballona Creek used to be a natural stream with water flowing from the Santa Monica Mountains and Baldwin Hills to a big marsh next to Santa Monica Bay.

(5) TRUE OR FALSE
Sometimes Ballona Creek joined the Los Angeles River until a major storm separated them in the 1800s.

(6) TRUE OR FALSE
Native Americans and early settlers used Ballona Creek water for drinking and irrigation.

(7) TRUE OR FALSE
Around 1920, the County started to change Ballona Creek into an earthen channel because people moving into the area were concerned about flooding.

(8) During approximately what years did the US Army Corps of Engineers create the concrete channel sides for Ballona Creek?
(a) 1960-1970
(b) 1950-1960
(c) 1930-1940
(d) 1800-1825
ANSWER:

"Quacker Questions" - a Ballona Creek Quiz for All Ages (Rev. April 26,2003) 3

HISTORY (cont.)

(9) The Spanish called the Native Americans who lived by the shores of Ballona "Gabrielino", but they also call themselves:
(a) Tongva or Shoshone
(b) Comanche
(c) Sioux
ANSWER:

(10) Which is the correct name of the creek: "La Ballona" or "Ballona"?
ANSWER:

(11) Which is the correction pronunciation of the name of the creek: "Buh-LOH-nuh" or "Bah-YON-nuh"?
ANSWER:

(12) KIDS' TRUE OR FALSE: Scary Pirates sailed their ships down Ballona Creek in the olden days.

ECOLOGY / GEOGRAPHY

(1) Which of the following items are picked up around Ballona Creek on Creek Cleanup Day?
(a) styrofoam containers
(b) cigarette butts
(c) shopping carts
(d) all of the above
ANSWER:

(2) TRUE OR FALSE? It is safe to play in the water of Ballona Creek.

(3) What is a "watershed"? (You can refer to the diagram on the aerial photo, too.)
(a) an area that drains into a river or body of water
(b) a place where clean water is stored
(c) water that is shed off the sides of a bridge when it rains
(d) a place where polluted water is kept until it can be disposed of
ANSWER:

(4) Ballona Creek Improvements are being planned that will do which of the following?
(a) provide flood protection
(b) make a better bike path
(c) improve water quality and reduce pollution and trash
(d) provide landscaping
(e) all of the above
ANSWER:

(5) What is "urban runoff"?
(a) water from people's lawns and driveways
(b) water from roofs and streets
(c) water from schools, factories and businesses
(d) all of the above
ANSWER:

(6) TRUE OR FALSE? "Urban runoff' includes many pollutants, algae and trash which makes the water in Ballona unsafe for swimming and can be harmful to birds and fish.

"Quacker Questions" - a Ballona Creek Quiz for All Ages (Rev. April 26,2003) 4

ECOLOGY / GEOGRAPHY (cont.)

(8) Who tests the water in Ballona Creek?
(a) Culver City Water Testing Association
(b) Ballona Creek Renaissance
(c) Santa Monica Baykeeper
(d) Los Angeles County Water Purification Institute
ANSWER:

(9) Why aren't there any fish in the Culver City part of Ballona Creek?
(a) not enough oxygen in the water
(b) too much algae and pollution
(c) the water is too warm
(d) too many people fish in this area
ANSWER:

(10) Which Culver City School next to Ballona Creek removed a paved playground and replaced it with a grassy field?
(a) El Marino Elementary School
(b) Farragut Elementary School
(c) Betsy Ross Elementary School
(d) Linwood Howe Elementary School
ANSWER:

(11) Which Culver City School planted a butterfly garden next to Ballona Creek with the help of Sony and Tree People?
(a) El Marino Elementary School
(b) La Ballona Elementary School
(c) Betsy Ross Elementary School
(d) Culver City Middle School
ANSWER:

(12) Why did Ballona Creek Renaissance make the "Rivers of the World" mural (at the Duquesne Avenue entrance to the creek bike path)?
(a) To reduce graffiti
(b) To make the bike path more attractive
(c) To involve youth in making something special for their community
(d) To make people more aware of water and rivers around the worid
ANSWER:

(13) TRUE or FALSE? A lot of native trees and shrubs (CA Sycamores, Western Redbuds, etc.) were planted yesterday on the bank of Ballona Creek next to Sepulveda Boulevard.

(14) Part of Ballona Creek runs underground. How long is the part that you can see?
(a) 4 1/2 miles
(b) 20 miles
(c) 1 mile
(d) 9 miles
ANSWER:

(15) Why do they call that big concrete flood control channel a "creek"?
(a) because "Ballona Creek" is the name of a place and because it used to be a natural stream (before the concrete channel was built to help protect the area from floods.)
(b) because of the sounds it makes during earthquakes
(c) because it's a natural stream
ANSWER:

"Quacker Questions" -a Ballona Creek Quiz for All Ages (Rev. April 26,2003) 5

ECOLOGY / GEOGRAPHY (cont.)

(16) Since Ballona Creek was made into a concrete flood protection channel, will making it more natural cause floods again?
ANSWER:

(17) Where does all the trash in the creek come from?
(a) from sidewalks, streets, and parking lots
(b) from yards, schools, and businesses in a big area (the watershed)
(c) from all kinds of people like you and me
(d) all of the above
ANSWER:

(18) What can help reduce trash and pollution in Ballona Creek?
(a) Buying and using less
(b) Recycling
(c) Disposing of trash carefully
(d) Using less toxic materials in our yards and homes
(e) All of the above
ANSWER:

(18) KIDS: Is it okay to drink the water in Ballona Creek?

(19) VERY EASY: What color is that (the circle under the duck)?

(20) VERY EASY: Have you heard of Ballona Creek?

(21) VERY EASY: Do you know where Ballona Creek is?

MISCELLANEOUS ADDED QUESTIONS

(22) These cities are in the Ballona Creek Watershed:
(a) Beverly Hills
(b) San Gabriel
(c) West Hollywood
(d) Inglewood
(e)
ANSWER:

T/F: BCR created two murals along the Ballona Creek bike path. Answer:

(24) What is Ballona Creek today?
(a) a flowing waterway
(b) a bike path
(c) trash and runoff collector
(d) a channel for storm water
ANSWER: