acfstakeholders:$overview$and$ panel$discussion$• $950,000 of $ 1.5 million raised • research on...

ACF STAKEHOLDERS: OVERVIEW AND PANEL DISCUSSION

Georgia Environmental Conference Savannah, GA August 2012

ACF – The Issue Can the diverse users of the ACF Basin act cooperatively to create sustainable solutions among stakeholders that balance economic, ecological, and social values in the sharing of this natural resource?

To change the operation and management of the ACF Basin to achieve:

�  Equitable solutions among stakeholders that balance economic, ecological, and social values

�  Viable solutions that ensure that the entire ACF Basin is a sustainable resource for current and future generations

ACF STAKEHOLDERS Working Together to Share a Common Resource

MISSION

1.  Ensure adequate water supplies for municipal uses

2.  Promote water availability for future economic interests

3.  Promote the optimization of water use for agriculture

4. Determine the extent of commercial navigation

5.  Protect natural systems

GOALS


grassroots group representing ALL water users

in the river system

56 Members – 14 Interest Caucus RepresentaQves per sub-‐basin

Consensus is criQcal. ACFS members seek to understand one another’s interests as they work together, but accept that their interests will differ. Consensus ensures no stakeholder interest is leZ out.

PROGRESS •  People continue to show up at meetings •  Selection of Facilitation Support •  Consensus on a scope of work and

contractors for developing a Sustainable Water Management Plan and In-stream Flow Assessment

•  Formation of Technical Oversight Work Group •  $950,000 of $ 1.5 Million Raised •  Research on Institutional Options for Basin-

Wide Management ACF STAKEHOLDERS Working Together to Share a Common Resource

Sustainable Water Management Plan


� Development of SWMP Work Plan � Developing model inputs (unimpaired flows data,

water demands data) � Tailoring model for SWMP �  Identifying performance metrics by which to evaluate

model outputs

In-‐Stream Flow


•  Selected contractor for IFA •  Completed literature and data review •  Recommended approaches to in-stream flow

analysis for riverine and estuarine parts of ACF System

•  Identifying target riverine resources and their flows needs

2. Problem DefiniQon/Performance Indicators

1. Work Plan

8. Report and Study DisseminaQon

3. Tailoring of Models to Indicators (ACF-‐DSS and ResSim)

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

4. Data and InformaQon

5. Development of Water Management AlternaQves

6. Conduct IteraQve Basin Assessments

7. Seek Consensus

OVERALL SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN TASKS

JAN FEB

Where are we now?

Next Steps

�  Incorporate riverine in-stream flow needs into SWMP model performance metrics

�  Select approach to evaluate in-stream flow needs for estuarine ecology

�  Agree on model inputs including unimpaired flows and water demands (UIF Workshop: September 10)

�  Explore innovative Water Management Alternatives (Sept. 13 expert panel)

�  Conduct baseline model runs and describe system current conditions

Please join us today! Become an ACFS member.

www.acfstakeholders.org

Issues of Concern to the Upper Chattahoochee ACF Stakeholders

Jerri Russell, P.E. City of Atlanta

Upper Chattahoochee Basin

•  Headwaters of Chattahoochee almost to West Point Lake

•  Rural and metro areas •  Lake Lanier

Lake Lanier •  Upstream end of

the basin •  5.3 percent of the

ACF Basin land area

•  60 percent of the federal reservoir storage

•  Small watershed •  Slow to refill

http://www.lawrencevilleweather.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/102207.jpg

Everyone has the Same Desires

•  Mother Nature to provide water •  Water available in desired quantity •  Water available at desired time

coloring-pages.ws www-math.ucdenver.edu

The Balancing Act •  Within our Basin

•  Up and Down the River •  Taking Water Out vs. Leaving Water In

•  Quantity & Timing

Taking Water Out •  Water Supply •  Local Government •  Industry and Manufacturing •  Hydro Power •  Thermal Power •  Business/Economic

Development •  Farming and Urban

Agriculture

•  Peak flows •  Current needs •  Growth and development

chriskresser.com

Keeping Water In

•  Environmental and Conservation

•  Recreation •  Water Quality •  Hydro Power •  Local Government •  Business/Economic

Development •  Peak flows

Lake Lanier Small Watershed = Slow Refill & High Vulnerability

•  Nobody wants the reservoir to run dry

• Some parties are impacted a whole lot sooner than others

Perception vs. Reality •  Much of the time

adequate water is available

•  Metro Atlanta is not using up all of the water

•  Billions are being spent to improve our resource utilization

•  Major conservation is occurring

•  There are better ways to operate the river

Acknowledgments •  The Upper

Chattahoochee Basin Members

•  The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

•  Laura Hartt •  Joe Cook •  Tom Wilson •  Glenn Page

A delicate balance between the ability of humans to improve lifestyles and prosper while being good stewards of our natural resources and environment now, and as a

legacy for future generations

Sustainability in the Flint River Basin

Flint Basin Landscapes and Hydrology North

Middle

South

Georgia’s PopulaQon Is Now More than 12 Million People

In The Flint Basin, Agricultural Use Of Water Has DrasQcally Changed

More than 1,000,000 acres in crop production

• N. Ga expansion and need for more water

• Agricultural land expansion & irrigation overdevelopment

• Changing climate and recurring drought • Loss of aquatic habitat

• State line flows

Water Resources Challenges In The Flint

Apalachicola Subbasin Caucus

Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint

(ACF) River Basin

• 19,600 Sq Mi Basin • Chattahoochee River -

Corps operates 5 Federal Reservoirs

• Flint River - Breadbasket of the SE

• Uses include: Hydropower, Flood Control, Water Supply, Navigation, Ag, M&I, Water Quality, Cooling, Recreation

Apalachicola River and Floodplain

Largest forested floodplain in Florida (112,000 acres)

Highest Species Diversity

of any River System in North America

UNESCO Biosphere

Reserve

Outstanding Florida Water (OFW)

Apalachicola Bay Productivity/Harvest

Ø $200,000,000 Local Seafood Industry, 90% of Florida Oysters, 10% of US oysters, + Shrimp, Crab and Finfish.

Ø In 1994, Five Million lbs. of

Seafood were produced from the Apalachicola Bay region.

Ø 90% of all harvested species must spend some part of their life cycle inshore on the marsh and seagrass environment, even the grouper caught offshore must rely on this healthy environment.

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Flow

, in

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et p

er s

econ

d2007 Flow in relation to Average Flow

Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee, FL

Average flow 1922-2007

2007 flow

Summary of Major Impacts: DECLINING RIVER STAGE

Down cutting & Widening Woody debris removal Loss of Fish Habitat

Reduced flow

DRYING OUT OF FLOODPLAIN FOREST Decrease in Forests Density

Loss of 4 million trees Disconnected Sloughs

DECLINING SEAFOOD HARVEST River functions drives the Bay

Loss of Nutrients and increased Salinity Chain reaction thru Food Chain

ACF In-stream Flow Assessment

A Downstream Perspective

ACF STAKEHOLDERS: OVERVIEW AND PANEL DISCUSSION

Georgia Environmental Conference Savannah, GA August 2012

acfstakeholders:$overview$and$ panel$discussion$• $950,000 of $ 1.5 million raised • research on...

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