Water in California: Self-induced Scarcity

Waterscape International Group

Perceptions Do you think California is a drought prone state?

Why? What is the most pressing water quality or

quantity dilemma? What scales of analysis are useful for

understanding water in California? How can we measure the effect of water

diversions on ecosystems? What groups should have the burden of meeting

water needs? What technological fixes might help reduce

scarcity?

Objective California is well-endowed with

water, yet faces shortages. Why? How can this be remedied? How does this relate to

environmental science?

Overview Natural Setting of California Water Use in the State Water Distribution (Central Valley

and State Water Projects) Roots of Scarcity Quality Intermingled Options for the Future

Part 1

The Natural Setting

Map-Shaded Relief of California

Map-Annual Precipitation

Map-Major River Systems

Map-Ground water Basins

Part 2

Water Use in California

Urban Surface Water Consumption

Urban Groundwater Consumption

Irrigation Surface Water Use

Irrigation Groundwater Use

Agricultural and Urban Water Use Statistics Domestic consumption of

groundwater & surface water = 3 MAF and 3 MAF, respectively.

Agricultural consumption of groundwater & surface water = 12.2 MAF and 19.5 MAF, respectively.

Map-Agricultural Land in California

Map-Central Valley Project

Central Valley Project Facts 400 miles, from the Cascade Mountains near Redding to

the Tehachapi Mountains near Bakersfield 20 dams and reservoirs, 11 powerplants, and 500 miles of

major canals 9 million acre-feet of water annually managed Annually delivers about 7 million acre-feet 5 million acre-feet for farms 600,000 acre-feet for municipal use 5.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (~2 million people) 800,000 acre-feet per year to fish and wildlife and their

habitat and 410,00 acre-feet to State and Federal wildlife refuges and wetlands (CVPIA, 1992)

Map-State Water Project

State Water Project Facts 1973-Store water and distribute it to 29 urban and

agricultural water suppliers in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California.

Water quality in the Delta, control Feather River flood waters, provide recreation, and enhance fish and wildlife.

32 storage facilities, reservoirs and lakes; 17 pumping plants; 3 pumping-generating plants; 5 hydroelectric power plants; and about 660 miles of open canals and pipelines.

Supplemental water to approximately 20 million Californians and about 660,000 acres of irrigated farmland.

All Water Projects

Consequences What are some of the consequences

for the environment of this distribution system?

Part 3

Factors complicating the allocation of water among agricultural, domestic, and environmental uses

The Problem: 7 Reasons to Worry Water allocation system is inflexible Population Growth Federal Endangered Species Act Federal Clean Water Act Colorado River 4.4 MAF Normal Climate Variability Long-term Climate Variability

Water Allocation California Doctrine (Appropriation

and Riparian Rights) Permits to surface water Permits to groundwater

Population Growth

Federal Regulations Clean Water Act

Section 303(d): Total Maximum Daily Loads for “impaired waters”

Source Water Protection Endangered Species Act

Critical habitat protections• Salmon

Climate Variability Normal climate variability Anthropogenic climate forcing

The Result Need more water for regulatory

purposes Difficult to adjust allocations Groundwater is not permitted or

even accounted Et increased due to irrigationflow

decreasedreduced assimilative capacity

Part 4

Case Study: Selenium Toxicity at Kesterson Reservoir

Map-Kesterson

Diablo Range

Map-Fans

Drainage Patterns

Bio

Part 5

Options

Improve Allocation Demand side

Water Transfers (land retirement) Efficiency

Supply Surface water storage Groundwater storage (conjunctive use) Desalinization

Water quality Real-time monitoringassimilative

capacity Irrigation changes Drain

Closing Thoughts Other topics-Quality Water-rich landscape Integrated system

Hydrology-ecology interface SW-GW interactions Quality and quality connections

Increasing demands Longer-term planning

References Department of Water Resources (1998).

California Water Plan: 160-98. Letey, J (1986). An Agricultural Dilemma:

Drainage Disposal in the San Joaquin Valley.