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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  

ACF STAKEHOLDERS Working Together to Share a Common Resource

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  

ACF STAKEHOLDERS Working Together to Share a Common Resource

� 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  

ACF STAKEHOLDERS Working Together to Share a Common Resource

•  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

cubi

c fe

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