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