colorado river basin supply and demand study what’s normal and what’s new?
TRANSCRIPT
Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study
What’s Normal and What’s New?
DisclaimerThe views presented are my interpretation of the results and important issues from the Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study. These views do not represent the official views of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, the Colorado Division of Water Resources, the Colorado River District, the Southwest Water Conservation District, the Front Range Water Council, the [insert name here]…….
Colorado River Basin Study Purpose
• Define future imbalances in the water supply and demand for Colorado River water
• Analyze adaptation and mitigation strategies to resolve those imbalances
• Study report is not a decisional document but is considered a call to action for next steps
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
2015 2035 2060
KA
FColorado River Demand in Colorado *
Current Projected (A) Slow Growth (B) Rapid Growth (C1)
Rapid Growth (C2) Enhanced Environment (D1) Enhanced Environment (D2)
USBR CU & Loss Estimate (2006-2010 Average)
* Includes ~250 KAF CRSP Reservoir EvaporationApportionment
* Upper Basin Includes 0.5 MAF of CRSP Evaporation Lower Basin Includes 1.2 MAF of Evaporation
0.02.04.06.08.0
10.012.0
2015 2035 2060
MAF
Upper Basin Demand *
Current Projected (A) Slow Growth (B)
Rapid Growth (C1) Rapid Growth (C2)
Enhanced Environment (D1) Enhanced Environment (D2)
0.02.04.06.08.0
10.012.0
2015 2035 2060
MAF
Lower Basin Demand *
Current Projected (A) Slow Growth (B)
Rapid Growth (C1) Rapid Growth (C2)
Enhanced Environment (D1) Enhanced Environment (D2)
Apportionment
“Normal” for Colorado/ Upper Basin
• Colorado and Upper Division Projected demands do not reach Full Apportionment by 2060
• Colorado and Upper Division Projected demands are higher than actual depletions
• Lower Division demands exceed Apportionment currently
Ranges from 5.5 MAF to 25 MAFMean Annual Flow (1906 to 2008) = 15 MAF
Mean Annual Flow (1991 to 2010) = 13.7 MAFMean Annual Flow (1951 to 1970) = 13.2 MAF
Annual Observed Natural FlowColorado River at Lees Ferry
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
1906 1916 1926 1936 1946 1956 1966 1976 1986 1996 2006
Kaf
Annual Flow 10-Year Running Average
GCMs Annual Flows Range from 4.2 MAF to 44 MAFAverage Mean Annual Flow for all 112 GCMs = 13.7 MAF
25% of GCMs predict Mean Annual Flow > 15.0 MAF25% of GCMs predict Mean Annual Flow < 12.5 MAF
Annual Climate Projected Natural FlowColorado River at Lees Ferry
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
KA
F
Range of Lees Ferry Natural Flow Sequences used in the Downscaled GCM Projected Scenario
“Normal” for Colorado/Upper Basin
• Planning for hydrologic variability and prolonged drought is normal
• Risk of Lee Ferry Deficit was considered during the Compact negotiations
• Historical Climate Variability is why the CRSP Reservoirs were built
“Normal” for Colorado/ Upper Basin• Shortages in the Upper Basin are primarily due
to limited supply, and are nothing new• Colorado water users understand risk• Tributary agricultural users are supply-limited in
the late irrigation season nearly every year
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Inch
es
AF
Tomichi Creek at Gunnison
Ave Monthly Flow Ave Monthly CIR
New Normal• Upper Basin is experienced at planning/
adapting to variable climate and risk• Lower Basin may not be as “seasoned”• About ½ of the GCMs result in at least 1 year
of Lee Ferry Deficit between 2040 and 2060• Climate change vs prolonged drought and
climate variability creates more urgency
New Normal• Global climate modeling is a new and rapidly
changing scienceCMIP 3 CMIP 5
Time Horizon 1950-2099 1950-2099
Emission scenarios 3 (SRES A2,A1B,B1)
4 (RCP 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, 8.5)
Climate Modeling Groups 14 23
Global Climate Models (GCM) 16 37
Ensemble members 112 234
GCM Regrid Resolution 2° 1°
BCSD Resolution 1/8° 1/8°
Monthly Output Variables Tavg (°C), P(mm/day)
Tmin(°C), Tavg (°C), Tmax(°C), P(mm/day)
New Normal
New Normal
Key Metrics for Colorado
• Lee Ferry Deficit – Indicates Risk associated with development
of Compact Entitlement• Upper Basin Shortages
– Indicates Supply for consumptive uses• Flows at Critical Locations
– Indicates Supply for non-consumptive needs
Options to Mitigate Imbalances
• Options and Strategies investigated– Increase Supply– Reduce Demand– Modify Operations
Indicator Metric/ Vulnerability
Lead Time (years) Conditions
Lake
Powell Lake Mead
Natural 5-year Mean Flow at
Lees Ferry Upper Basin
Shortage
Lee Ferry Deficit 5 3490’ NA 12.39 maf NA
Lower Basin Shortage (>1 maf over 2 years)
3 NA 1060’ 13.51 maf NA
Lower Basin Shortage (>1.5 maf over 5 years)
3 NA 1075’ 13.51 maf NA
Mead Pool Elevation (< 1,000 feet msl)
3 NA 1040’ 13.35 maf NA
Upper Basin Shortage (>25%)
0 NA NA NA 25%
A good Signpost anticipates a vulnerable conditions, but does not triggeraction unnecessarily. Anticipating a potential Lee Ferry Deficit is the key to responsible future development.
Indicator Metrics and Signposts
Normal Options• Large Scale Import Options and Strategies
provide largest benefit• Desalination from the Pacific Ocean and
imports from other rivers would require long lead-times to permit
• Conservation and Reuse• Upper Basin imbalances are not significant;
“Normal” Options and Strategies primarily benefit the Lower Basin
New Normal Options• Upper Basin Water Banking Option was
proposed by Conservation Groups primarily for environmental/recreational flows
• Water Banking could mitigate a potential Lee Ferry Deficit
• Water Banking is being further considered in Basin Study Next Steps, by Colorado, and by the Upper Basin States
Next Steps for Colorado
• Adopt Signpost Approach• In lieu of spending effort determining
probability of a Lee Ferry Deficit– Refine the signposts– Build the technical, legal, and policy requirements
to implement Options and Strategies when needed
• Support the Lower Basin to find solutions to their over-apportionment issues
Next Steps for Colorado• Provide Support for Data Development
– Continue to support Climate Science Research – not to identify probabilities, but to understand the future range of possibilities
– Support Conservation Studies to look realistically at how much demand reduction is possible
– Help Study Team understand legal and policy implications associated with Conservation, Reuse, and Water Banking
Colorado’s Challenges• Drama makes the news
– “Study shows a 3.2 MAF imbalance in the Colorado River”. Once published, this became the tag-line.
– No recognition in the Study that imbalances assume Lower Basin can develop their projected demands well beyond apportionments.
– No recognition in the Study that Upper Basin has always experienced shortages
Colorado’s Challenges• Results can be “picked” to make any point• “Climate-change projections show 10 to 30
percent less water in the river by 2050.” (Denver Post, American Rivers)– Only if you select the driest of the 112 GCMs– All 112 projections range from 20 percent more to
30 percent less water– Context is important when reading articles/white
papers published by advocacy groups
“Normal” for Colorado/ Upper Basin
• Study does NOT indicate an immediate crisis for Colorado, however does highlight the continued importance of continuing to considering the Risk of a Lee Ferry Deficit associated with both current use and future development