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?