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Preparing for a Challenging Water Future: California Water Overview 2014

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. Overview.

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Preparing for a Challenging Water Future: California Water Overview 2014

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  1. 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

  2. Overview • Setting—all states are unique; Calif just more so.  • Administration’s 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

  3. 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 • 3rd re precip • More pop; more irrigated ag; more env water make impact greater than the other two

  4. 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”

  5. Managing Hydrologic and Geographic Imbalances • Precipitation vs. Population • Feast or Famine

  6. Major Water Projects Federal – Central Valley Project (CVP) State – State Water Project (SWP) Local – Many other projects throughout state, including Colorado River system, HetchHetchy, EBMUD, Owens Valley Source: Water Environment Foundation

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. The Drought—a glimpse “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” Benjamin Franklin Poor Richard’s Almanac

  10. 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 we’ve dealt with • Harbinger of things to come—think Australia or Climate Change

  11. Jan 18, 2013 Jan 18, 2014

  12. 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 declarations—Governor Brown February 17, 2014/April 25, 2014

  13. Actions—con’t • Emergency Legislation--$680m+ • Including Conservation; Recycling; Stormwater; IRWM • Disaster relief—Farm 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?

  14. 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

  15. % Water Demand Met by Groundwater

  16. Western States’ Approach to Groundwater Management

  17. Community Well Systems Where Contamination has been Detected

  18. Community Water Systems with Principal Contaminants Detected

  19. 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

  20. Evolution of conversation • Policy Reports • Groundwater Concept Paper—State Board • Administration WAP/workshops/stakeholder • Proposals • Legislation

  21. 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

  22. Key issues • Governance • Monitoring—thresholds/use/storage • Finance • Surface water/groundwater interaction • Nature of or triggers for the “backstop” • DWR/SWRCB roles • Water Quality • Stakeholder engagement

  23. Groundwater Level Change Southern Central Valley Spring 2013 to Spring 2014

  24. Basin Prioritization Results 126 High and Medium 92% GW use 88% Population

  25. 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

  26. What’s 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

  27. How we got here • Legislation last term • Water Action Plan • Governor’s Budget proposal • Drinking Water Task Force • Trailer Bill language, passed out of conference committee last week.

  28. Selected issues • Drinking Water Task Force • State Board vs. Regional Board location/responsibility • Field Offices • Locations--keep • Approach—compliance 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

  29. Selected issues, con’t • Emergency Response—MOU • 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

  30. Water Bonds 2014

  31. 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

  32. Other issues—including solution set • It’s 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

  33. Thank you!!!

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