CLA Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CLA exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CLA Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CLA Topics to Study (22)
✍️ Sample CLA Questions & Answers
1. Why is regular project documentation essential during construction?
Regular project documentation, such as daily logs, progress reports, and photographic records, is essential for effective construction management. It provides a continuous, verifiable record of work performed, helping to ensure that construction aligns with the design intent. This documentation also allows for accurate tracking of progress against the project schedule and budget.
2. Which drip irrigation component prevents emitters from draining between cycles on sloped installations?
Anti-drain emitters or check valves hold water in the line between cycles, preventing low-head drainage that puddles at the bottom of slopes and dries out upslope emitters.
3. What is a 'change order' in landscape architecture construction administration?
A change order is a signed agreement between the owner and contractor that modifies the original contract's scope, price, or time.
4. What does 'ET' stand for in irrigation scheduling, and why is it important?
Evapotranspiration (ET) measures total water loss from the landscape and is the primary basis for calculating how much supplemental irrigation is needed.
5. Which USDA Plant Hardiness Zone covers most of the US Gulf Coast, including southern Louisiana and Mississippi?
Zone 9a (average minimum −6.7°C / 20°F) covers much of the Gulf Coast where mild winters allow subtropical plants to thrive.
6. Which bioretention feature is designed to temporarily pond water and allow it to infiltrate through a soil media layer?
Rain gardens are shallow, vegetated depressions filled with engineered media that allow stormwater to infiltrate and be filtered.