Adapting Water Policy Adapting Water Policy to Meet Future Needto Meet Future Need

North Bay Watershed North Bay Watershed AssociationAssociation

April 4, 2008April 4, 2008

Lester SnowLester SnowDirectorDirector

Climate Change Impacts to Climate Change Impacts to Water ResourcesWater Resources

Diminishing snowpackDiminishing snowpack More extreme weather More extreme weather

patternspatterns Rising sea levelRising sea level Higher air/water Higher air/water

temperatures impacting temperatures impacting ecosystem healthecosystem health

Range of Snowpack Predictions by Range of Snowpack Predictions by 20502050

0

25

50

75

100

1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Water Year1,0

00 c

fs

Unimpaired Runoff at Friant Dam

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Water Year

1,0

00 c

fs

Unimpaired Runoff at Oroville Dam

Changes in Peak Flows Changes in Peak Flows Feather RiverFeather River

Feather River RunoffAnnual Maximum 1-Day Flow

Changes in Peak Flows Changes in Peak Flows San Joaquin RiverSan Joaquin River

San Joaquin River RunoffAnnual Maximum 1-Day Flow

Key Initiatives:Key Initiatives: Integrated Regional Water Integrated Regional Water

ManagementManagement

Statewide Water ManagementStatewide Water Management

California Water PlanCalifornia Water PlanCalifornia Water PlanCalifornia Water Plan

ConservationConservation Increased Increased

storagestorage Water recyclingWater recycling Conjunctive Conjunctive

managementmanagement Groundwater Groundwater

clean-upclean-up Floodplain Floodplain

preservationpreservation Watershed Watershed

managementmanagement

Integrated Regional Water Integrated Regional Water ManagementManagement

Proposition Proposition 8484

$1 Billion for IRWM$1 Billion for IRWM Allocated to geographic Allocated to geographic

areas – not statewideareas – not statewide May be multiple IRWM May be multiple IRWM

regions in a funding area regions in a funding area $100 million $100 million

Interregional/ Interregional/ UnallocatedUnallocated

$37

$73

$57$138

$36

$27

$52$60

$114

$91

$215

$ in millions

SanFrancisco

San Diego

Redding

Los Angeles

Sacramento

Stockton

San Francisco

Sacramento River

San Joaquin River

The Sacramento-The Sacramento-San Joaquin DeltaSan Joaquin Delta

Delta Delta ChallengesChallenges SubsidenceSubsidence EarthquakesEarthquakes Climate ChangeClimate Change Declining SpeciesDeclining Species Regulatory Regulatory

UncertaintyUncertainty Risk of Levee Risk of Levee

FailuresFailures Urbanization/Urbanization/

Population GrowthPopulation Growth

Comprehensive Strategy for Comprehensive Strategy for AdaptationAdaptation

Regional Management Regional Management StrategiesStrategies Fully implement IRWMFully implement IRWM Identify sustained funding for Identify sustained funding for

IRWM, other local assistance IRWM, other local assistance projectsprojects

Land use plans must Land use plans must incorporate climate changeincorporate climate change

Statewide Management Statewide Management StrategiesStrategies Invest in resiliency of Invest in resiliency of

statewide infrastructurestatewide infrastructure Improve Delta conveyanceImprove Delta conveyance Incorporate climate Incorporate climate

change into planning change into planning processesprocesses

Offset snowpack loss with Offset snowpack loss with additional water storageadditional water storage

Comprehensive Strategy for Comprehensive Strategy for AdaptationAdaptation

Statewide Management Strategies Statewide Management Strategies (Continued)(Continued) Practice integrated flood managementPractice integrated flood management Coordinate reservoir reoperationCoordinate reservoir reoperation Expand bypass systemExpand bypass system Protect the natural floodplainProtect the natural floodplain

Comprehensive Strategy for Comprehensive Strategy for AdaptationAdaptation

Increase Management Increase Management EffectivenessEffectiveness Fund monitoring and Fund monitoring and

data collectiondata collection Plan for sea level risePlan for sea level rise Focused researchFocused research

Comprehensive Strategy for Comprehensive Strategy for AdaptationAdaptation

Questions?Questions?