Preparing for a Challenging Water Future: California Water Overview 2014 Felicia Marcus Chair, State Water Resources Control Board Sierra Water Workgroup Lake Tahoe, June 12, 2014 STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARDS
Transcript
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Felicia Marcus Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
Sierra Water Workgroup Lake Tahoe, June 12, 2014 STATE WATER
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARDS
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Overview Settingall states are unique; Calif just more so.
Administrations Water Action Plan Drought update Selected hot
issues this year: Groundwater Drinking Water Water Bonds Other:
Solution set Bottom line: Will need all of the above to deal with
future needs
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Setting Most Variable hydrology Year to year Location to
Location Time of year Mix of sources Surface Water system local or
imported (extensive storage/conveyance) Groundwater (intensely
local) Every locale different mix Impact of drought varies too Mix
of water rights too Climate change and other drivers as
gamechangers Mix of solutions
Conservation/Recycling/Stormwater/Desal Integrated Water Management
in regions and statewide, e.g., upper watershed thinking Storage
Drought Worst in impact in modern history 3 rd re precip More pop;
more irrigated ag; more env water make impact greater than the
other two
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Evolution Either/or All of the Above Big projects/single issue
Integrated water management/multiple benefit Silos Integrated water
management/multiple benefit Challenges: Behavioral Conversational
Professional Calls for Egosystem Management
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Precipitation vs. Population Feast or Famine
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Major Water Projects Federal Central Valley Project (CVP) State
State Water Project (SWP) Local Many other projects throughout
state, including Colorado River system, Hetch Hetchy, EBMUD, Owens
Valley Source: Water Environment Foundation
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Future drivers require change Challenges, e.g., Climate change
Population growth Food security Other limits to deal with Silos
Traditional if comfortable dialogue Paradigm shift essential and
happening
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California Water Action Plan Make Conservation a California Way
of Life Increase Regional Self-Reliance and Integrated Water
Management Across All Levels of Government Achieve the Co-Equal
Goals for the Delta Protect and Restore Important Ecosystems Manage
and Prepare for Dry Periods Expand Water Storage Capacity and
Improve Groundwater Management Provide Safe Water for All
Communities Increase Flood Protection Increase Operational and
Regulatory Efficiency Identify Sustainable and Integrated Financing
Opportunities
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The Drought a glimpse When the well is dry, we know the worth
of water. Benjamin Franklin Poor Richards Almanac
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Current crisis: Worst drought in modern times 2013 driest year
on record Snowpack fraction of average/ normal Reservoir draw down
due to unusual 2012 precipitation pattern Could still rain, as in
March miracle of the 90s but that is not a strategy, and it is May.
Third worst on record, with far greater impact than the 1920s
Beyond anything weve dealt with Harbinger of things to comethink
Australia or Climate Change
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Jan 18, 2013 Jan 18, 2014
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Selected Actions Regional differences and choices Different mix
of sources and economies Water right priorities and different
groundwater regimes Choices re conservation, priorities, etc.
Drought Task Force Actions taken and potential: Emergency
declarationsGovernor Brown February 17, 2014/April 25, 2014
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Actionscont Emergency Legislation--$680m+ Including
Conservation; Recycling; Stormwater; IRWM Disaster reliefFarm
Bill/USDA/Food Banks/NGOs Transfers acceleration Temporary flow
adjustments to water right permits Contract water allocation
cutbacks by state and federal projects Water rights implementation:
Curtailments What is reasonable use in a drought?
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Quick Facts on California Water Groundwater Use Percentage of
Urban and Agricultural Demands met with groundwater Normal Year: 39
percent Dry year: 45 percent Drought: almost 60 percent About 9
million Californians (1 in 3) rely solely on groundwater to meet
their needs On the Central Coast, 86 percent of drinking water
comes from groundwater Issues, e.g., Subsidence Infrastructure
Neighbor to neighbor impacts Storage loss; storage need Water
quality Ecosystem impacts
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% Water Demand Met by Groundwater
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Groundwater Management Components:
CaliforniaArizonaTexasColorado New Mexico Statewide groundwater use
permitting XX X Active management areasXXX X Statewide policywell
data made public XXX X Statewide policymetering, measurement, and
reporting requirements aXX X a SBX7 6 provides for statewide
measurement (at the basin level), but not metering of water
extraction. Western States Approach to Groundwater Management
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Community Well Systems Where Contamination has been
Detected
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Community Water Systems with Principal Contaminants
Detected
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Policy Reports and. Policy reports Legislative Analysts Office
2009 Public Policy Institute of California 2010 ACWA Framework -
2011 UCLA Pritzker Brief 2011 Stanford Woods Institute 2011 Others.
Bars and coffee shops
Astonishing level of agreement Preference for local action;
need for local tools, authorities, and funding. Monitoring and
measurement Need for state backstop at State Water Board; info and
assistance a combo of DWR and State Water Board Connection between
surface water and groundwater and need to acknowledge Reasonable
timeframe (2 years/5 years/20 years?) Recognition of existing
overlying water rights (correlative) Has to be part of larger water
actions, e.g., items in California Water Action Plan
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Key issues Governance Monitoringthresholds/use/storage Finance
Surface water/groundwater interaction Nature of or triggers for the
backstop DWR/SWRCB roles Water Quality Stakeholder engagement
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Groundwater Level Change Southern Central Valley Spring 2013 to
Spring 2014
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Basin Prioritization Results 126 High and Medium 92% GW use 88%
Population
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Drinking Water Issues Drinking Water Quality an issue Two
recent State Water Board reports highlight problem, in context of
communities relying in whole or part on groundwater 98% Served by
PWSS that consistently meet public health standards; but 1-2% in CA
is a big number Nitrate contamination (legacy and ongoing)
Increasing knowledge + technology allows for greater treatment, but
costs can be high. Small Disadvantaged Communities particularly
challenged 3000 water districts; many individual wells. State
regulations: PWSS over 15
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Whats happening Proposal to move to State Board as of July 1
One agency responsible source to tap Efficiency: One stop shopping
for $ for many communities One agency responsible for permitting
recycled water (but public health issues still paramount) Long term
need to steward every molecule in face of climate change Step along
path in DAC solutions Part of Water Action Plan
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How we got here Legislation last term Water Action Plan
Governors Budget proposal Drinking Water Task Force Trailer Bill
language, passed out of conference committee last week.
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Selected issues Drinking Water Task Force State Board vs.
Regional Board location/responsibility Field Offices
Locations--keep Approachcompliance assistance emphasis Public
Health Priority Chief Deputy Director reports directly to ED Public
Health background Public Health/Environmental Health Officers
National picture Concern re: split in relationships
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Selected issues, cont Emergency ResponseMOU Regulatory homes
Permitting remains with Deputy Director (no appeal) Enforcement
remains with DD (appeal to State Board) MCLs (go to State Board)
Other Key public policy decisions needed re: funding for tech
assistance and grants v. loans Need for tech innovation Appropriate
regulatory response/level Economic challenge of delivery to small
DACs
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Water Bonds 2014
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Water Bonds 2014 Key elements Clean and Safe Drinking Water
$900m-1b Grants for systems Groundwater cleanup Emergency water
Protecting Waters and Watersheds $0-1.7b Settlement agreements,
e.g., Klamath Conservancies Ag runoff Stormwater Regional Water
Security $0-2.615b Storage Integrated Water Management
Recycling/Stormwater/Wastewater/Conservation/infrastructure
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Other issuesincluding solution set Its all about Integrated
Water Management at all levels Recycled water advancement 1%
financing through SRF ($800m/150,000 af/yr) General permit for
Title 22 uses (June scheduled) SB322 timeline: groundwater
recharge/indirect potable/direct potable feasibility report
Stormwater capture/treatment/use Accelerating groundwater
contamination prevention/treatment/use Upper watershed
connection/management BDCP/WQCPs Conservation as a California Way
of Life How to implement multiple benefit thinking across
departments and disciplines