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California Water Policy InitiativesTexas Water Conservation Assoc. Fall Conference
Oct. 15, 2015 • Timothy Quinn, ACWA Executive Director
About ACWAWho We Represent . . . ACWA members responsible for
90% of the state’s distributed water
Water Sources & Services Federal, state and local projects Surface and groundwater Agricultural, urban, industrial
customers Wholesale, retail
90%
Water in the News
Agricultural sector taking a hit
Drought is accelerating
land subsidence
Drought fueling massive fires
Presentation Overview
Drought Update Near-term actions
Where are we going long-term?
Focusing on statewide solutions
California
Water
California Drought: A Long History
Source: PPIC Water Center
2015 Drought: Four Years and Counting First-ever statewide
mandated water use reductions in effect
Australian-style “Millennium Drought”
Drought impacts will become more severe with each year
93% Severe71% Extreme46% Exceptional
U.S. Drought Monitor – Oct. 6, 2015
Some Good News:Better Prepared For Drought Than Ever Before
Huge local and regional investments in past two decades Statewide GPCD
reduced Substantial investments
in regional storage Increased water
marketingWe were prepared!
Overall Drought Management Strategy
Reduce “ornamental” water use
Protect water use in economic production, both urban and agricultural
Overwhelming popular support for this strategy
Managing the Drought Emergency regulations,
mandatory conservation Save Our Water public
education campaign Increased water marketing
to move water where its needed
Substantial local/regional investments have protected state’s overall economy
Save Our Water Program Helping
Partnership between ACWA and Brown Administration
$11 million budget for 2014/2015 with extensive TV, radio, digital advertising
“Fix it for Good” campaign focused on long term changes
2015 Drought: Key Takeaways Urban Sector
Local, regional investments have paid off, big time!
Economy largely shielded from impacts
Regional cooperation, conservation efforts are working
The “real” story of this drought may be the resilience of our economy
Source: PPIC, August 2015
2015 Drought: Key Takeaways Agricultural Sector
Groundwater pumping, water transfers staving off major losses
550,000 acres fallowed (6% of total acreage)
Overall ag economy showing resilience
Pumping is accelerating subsidence
Source: PPIC, August 2015
2015 Drought: Key Takeaways
Some rural communities at risk
2,000+ dry domestic wells already
100+ small water systems in trouble
Source: PPIC, August 2015
2015 Drought: Key Takeaways
Ecosystems at severe risk
18 fish could face extinction
Permanent loss of conifer forests
Waterbird mortality
Source: PPIC, August 2015
2015 Drought: Will El Niño Save Us?
Projections point to fierce El Niño
Same class as 1982-83 and 1997-98
What if Drought Goes into 2016 or Beyond?
“Raise the Bar” on urban conservation
Increase reliance on the market 1991 Drought Water
Bank Australian experience
As the drought threatens the economy, market forces preferred to state regulation
What About Longer Term? Implement the
plan the governor has put on the table
Drought need not impair the California economy, if we stay prepared
California Water Action Plan“In a Nut Shell”
1. Conserve more2. Store more 3. Fix the Delta4. Manage
groundwater5. Provide safe
drinking water6. Invest in habitat
and watersheds
Key Areas of Focus for 2015 Improving Water
Transfers/Marketing Investing in Storage Implementing SGMA Investing in Habitats
and Watersheds California WaterFix
Improving Water Transfers / Marketing
Critical to drought management / long-term policy
Policy Principles approved by ACWA Board in July
Objective: Bold action plan in early 2016 to enhance the water market
Intense cooperation with Brown Administration / EDF
Investing in Storage: Above and Below Ground
We increased storage capacity by 4 MAF+ in past 20 years
We need to do at least that in the next 20 years
Integrating storage / other investments will be key
Implementing SGMA SGMA requires:
GSAs by 2017 GSPs by 2020/2022 Sustainable GW
basins by 2040/2042 ACWA working with
DWR / locals 2016 report on
replenishment water will be a big deal
Investing in Habitats and Watersheds
Improving conditions upstream will have benefits downstream
Widespread treatment for fire suppression
Coalition working in D.C. for better forest management
What About the Delta?
Fixing the Delta Major emphasis of
Brown Administration HCP/NCCP under
development since 2006
Move the intakes to reduce conflicts with species
Restore ecosystems and habitats
Failure of Plan A (HCP) shows how tough it is to do the coequal goals
A New Approach: California WaterFix
Former BDCP split into two plans: CA WaterFix and CA EcoRestore
DWR/USBR change petition requests new diversion points on Sac River for project
Intakes would connect to two tunnels that move water by gravity to pumping facilities near Tracy
Public comment process expected this fall
A Comprehensive Approach If we focus on the
Delta alone, all we will have is an argument
Sometimes you have to grow a problem to solve it
Delta solutions make the most sense in the context of statewide policy
Hub of the system
How Important is a Delta Fix?A Delta Fix, if implemented, makes the other elements of the plan work better:
The market works betterStorage works betterSGMA implementation works betterWatershed investments work betterHabitat works better
The Future of California Water In California,
like Texas, it matters how programs are packaged
Delta fix alone Comprehensive
package for all Californians
Questions?Timothy QuinnACWA Executive Directortimq@acwa.com (916) 441-4545 www.acwa.com
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