Drought Management Issues - Portland Metropolitan Area

Drought Management Issues - Drought Management Issues - Portland Metropolitan AreaPortland Metropolitan Area

Presented by Lorna StickelPresented by Lorna Stickel

Portland Water Bureau and Portland Water Bureau and Regional Water Providers Regional Water Providers Consortium Project ManagerConsortium Project Manager

Drought Issues in the PastDrought Issues in the Past

1992 was the last year that Drought 1992 was the last year that Drought Plans were activated for municipal water Plans were activated for municipal water providers in the Portland area.providers in the Portland area.

Municipal Providers attempt to provide Municipal Providers attempt to provide for drought years by planning for summer for drought years by planning for summer supplies to meet weather events.supplies to meet weather events.

Curtailment has not been a popular Curtailment has not been a popular means to meet municpal needs in the means to meet municpal needs in the NW.NW.

Regional Water Supply Regional Water Supply Plan 1996Plan 1996

Planning for supplies in Portland area Planning for supplies in Portland area included some aspect of meeting included some aspect of meeting drought needs within the Regional drought needs within the Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP)Water Supply Plan (RWSP)• Water Demand Forecasting - High forecast Water Demand Forecasting - High forecast

selected.selected.• Integrated modeling allowed for looking at Integrated modeling allowed for looking at

weather events of the past so those that weather events of the past so those that drove demands higher were selected for drove demands higher were selected for analysis.analysis.


Patterns of use in the NW result in Patterns of use in the NW result in highest needs during 3-4 summer highest needs during 3-4 summer months and during peak events for high months and during peak events for high temperature days for 3-5 days. RWSP temperature days for 3-5 days. RWSP focused on summer needs in worst focused on summer needs in worst years.years.

Public involvement activities showed low Public involvement activities showed low tolerance for planned shortages that last tolerance for planned shortages that last summer long, more for few day events.summer long, more for few day events.


Drought events are included in the Drought events are included in the RWSP by using the 60 year weather RWSP by using the 60 year weather history and picking the worst years and history and picking the worst years and highest demand forecast scenarios.highest demand forecast scenarios.

Conservation Programs selected to Conservation Programs selected to focus on the summer peak season uses.focus on the summer peak season uses.

Some interties proposed to connect Some interties proposed to connect sources better.sources better.

Implementation of RWSPImplementation of RWSP

Regional Water Providers Consortium Regional Water Providers Consortium Formed to coordinate implementation.Formed to coordinate implementation.

Consortium further looked at Consortium further looked at transmission and storage and adopted transmission and storage and adopted a strategy in 2000.a strategy in 2000.

Conservation programs folded into the Conservation programs folded into the Consortium in 2000-2001 FY.Consortium in 2000-2001 FY.

RWSP update scheduled for 2001-2003.RWSP update scheduled for 2001-2003.

Water Supplies & Water Supplies & TransmissionTransmission

Portland area water supplies Portland area water supplies include multiple sources:include multiple sources:• Bull Run/South Shore WellfieldBull Run/South Shore Wellfield• Clackamas RiverClackamas River• Trask/TualatinTrask/Tualatin• GroundwaterGroundwater• Small surface sourcesSmall surface sources

Water Supplies & Water Supplies & TransmissionTransmission

Some of region’s sources are Some of region’s sources are interconnected, but these connections interconnected, but these connections are relatively small in size.are relatively small in size.

Only the Bull Run system has a large Only the Bull Run system has a large supplemental source in the CSSWF, supplemental source in the CSSWF, allowing conjunctive use of two allowing conjunctive use of two sources.sources.

ASR is being evaluated in the region ASR is being evaluated in the region (Portland, TVWD, Beaverton).(Portland, TVWD, Beaverton).

Drought Planning ProcessDrought Planning Process

O.R.S. 536.700 Emergency Water O.R.S. 536.700 Emergency Water Shortage Powers:Shortage Powers:• Governor has authority to declare Governor has authority to declare

drought and does so on a County by drought and does so on a County by County basis (only Klamath Co. is so County basis (only Klamath Co. is so declared this year so far).declared this year so far).

• Water Resources Commission sets Water Resources Commission sets requirement to submit drought plansrequirement to submit drought plans

Drought Planning Process -Drought Planning Process -22

• Drought Plans have to be submitted in Drought Plans have to be submitted in 30 days after a requirement is made by 30 days after a requirement is made by WRC. All jurisdictions over 10,000 WRC. All jurisdictions over 10,000 population were required to do this in population were required to do this in 1992.1992.

• Water Resources Dept. may respond to Water Resources Dept. may respond to drought declarations by actions on drought declarations by actions on emergency permits and changes to emergency permits and changes to existing rights to respond quickly to existing rights to respond quickly to emergency needs.emergency needs.

Portland Area Drought Portland Area Drought PlansPlans

All larger jurisdictions submitted plans All larger jurisdictions submitted plans in 1992, some of these are still active, in 1992, some of these are still active, while others were repealed.while others were repealed.

In 1992 the City of Portland added a In 1992 the City of Portland added a new section to the City Code on Water new section to the City Code on Water Conservation Measures. Conservation Measures. • Allows Bureau Administrator to adopt Allows Bureau Administrator to adopt

rules with a public process or for limited rules with a public process or for limited duration.duration.


Portland continued:Portland continued:• Enforcement outlined for violations, Enforcement outlined for violations,

allows for one violation per day. allows for one violation per day. Appeals allowed.Appeals allowed.

• Wholesale contracts the mechanism Wholesale contracts the mechanism for curtailment coordinationfor curtailment coordination

• Commissioner in Charge may Commissioner in Charge may terminate rules.terminate rules.

City of Portland Drought City of Portland Drought PlanPlan

Portland Administrative Rules Portland Administrative Rules • Sets in place Level 1 restrictionsSets in place Level 1 restrictions

– Prohibitions on outdoor watering during Prohibitions on outdoor watering during the daythe day

– Washing hardened surfaces, and vehiclesWashing hardened surfaces, and vehicles– Filling water features or cleaning themFilling water features or cleaning them– water wasting by leaving hoses runningwater wasting by leaving hoses running– Exceptions listedExceptions listed– Enforcement detailed furtherEnforcement detailed further

City of Portland Drought City of Portland Drought PlanPlan

• Level 2 RestrictionsLevel 2 Restrictions– Outside washing of vehicles prohibited, Outside washing of vehicles prohibited,

no exceptionsno exceptions– Window washing with hose (limited Window washing with hose (limited

exceptions)exceptions)– Failure to fix leaksFailure to fix leaks– Filling vessels to irrigate outdoors from Filling vessels to irrigate outdoors from

hydrants or other outdoor fixtureshydrants or other outdoor fixtures– New set of exceptions defined for New set of exceptions defined for

circumstances not defined earliercircumstances not defined earlier


Portland submitted a Drought Plan to Portland submitted a Drought Plan to WRD that included those of larger WRD that included those of larger wholesale customers, the content is wholesale customers, the content is similar.similar.

Other water systems in Portland Other water systems in Portland adopted plans in 1992 also.adopted plans in 1992 also.

Since 1992 the Portland water system Since 1992 the Portland water system has adopted an annual summer supply has adopted an annual summer supply plan.plan.

Potential Supplies for 2001Potential Supplies for 2001

Source diversity means not all systems Source diversity means not all systems have the same limitationshave the same limitations

Weather driven spring for 2001 will be a Weather driven spring for 2001 will be a key factor in the extent of any summer key factor in the extent of any summer shortagesshortages• Portland not expecting shortagesPortland not expecting shortages• JWC west side system is planning for shortageJWC west side system is planning for shortage• Clackamas River systems not determinedClackamas River systems not determined• GW systems not expecting shortage unless GW systems not expecting shortage unless

already quantity limited.already quantity limited.

Challenges for Drought Challenges for Drought EventsEvents

How to work drought into longer How to work drought into longer term plans needs to be addressed, term plans needs to be addressed, and can be done better than it has and can be done better than it has in the past. Global warming in the past. Global warming scenarios should be considered.scenarios should be considered.

Planned curtailments are not Planned curtailments are not popular without building popular without building substantial public support.substantial public support.


Differences in supply situations presents Differences in supply situations presents problems for providers - single media problems for providers - single media market in the Portland region.market in the Portland region.

Drought plans need to reflect different Drought plans need to reflect different customer class mix for each entity.customer class mix for each entity.

Conjunctive use of sources presents Conjunctive use of sources presents opportunities to mitigate for different opportunities to mitigate for different effects of drought throughout the region.effects of drought throughout the region.


Primary targets for curtailment are Primary targets for curtailment are outdoor water use, larger customers, outdoor water use, larger customers, and source switching. Indoor and source switching. Indoor curtailment is more difficult to sustain curtailment is more difficult to sustain over longer periods.over longer periods.

Conservation program savings over time Conservation program savings over time make the margin for curtailment less.make the margin for curtailment less.

Transmission connections are expensive Transmission connections are expensive if they are only for short term usage.if they are only for short term usage.

Drought Management Issues - Portland Metropolitan Area

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