Quick Facts on California Water Groundwater Use

Preparing for a Challenging Water Future: California Water Overview 2014Felicia MarcusChair, State Water Resources Control BoardSierra Water WorkgroupLake Tahoe, June 12, 2014STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARDREGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARDS

Combo sense of where admin coming from and update on many issues facing us that we cant ignore, like the drought, or ones that we are acting on intensively now, like drinking water and groundwater.At an inflection point, part of paradigm shift, where we go from silos to integrated action, we raise drinking water to the level it deserves (not because of any organizational location, but because we are actually talking about it as much as other water issues, which is rare), we face the spectre of what climate change will bring, and we face the worst drought in terms of impact we will have faced in modern times.

These are opportunities for collapse or progress, and Im optimistic that it will be progress.1OverviewSettingall states are unique; Calif just more so. Administrations Water Action PlanDrought updateSelected hot issues this year:GroundwaterDrinking WaterWater BondsOther: Solution setBottom line: Will need all of the above to deal with future needsBig topic so giving very cursory overview to lay groundword but can only give a sense.Remarkable time in water, for better and for worse.Huge challenges that have come to a head in many instances, but have been visible, knowable, and addressable for decades and we are the generations to take them on. 2SettingMost Variable hydrologyYear to yearLocation to LocationTime of yearMix of sourcesSurface Water system local or imported (extensive storage/conveyance)Groundwater (intensely local)Every locale different mixImpact of drought varies tooMix of water rights tooClimate change and other drivers as gamechangersMix of solutionsConservation/Recycling/Stormwater/DesalIntegrated Water Management in regions and statewide, e.g., upper watershed thinkingStorageDroughtWorst in impact in modern history3rd re precipMore pop; more irrigated ag; more env water make impact greater than the other twoEveryone has an opinion on water in CA, but few look at whole picture. Blind men and elephant.This is one of our problems, and something we need to deal with as a wholefortunately, more and more people are saying thatfor instance why CWAP so well received, and what folks are asking for in groundwater context.3EvolutionEither/or All of the AboveBig projects/single issue Integrated water management/multiple benefitSilosIntegrated water management/multiple benefitChallenges:BehavioralConversationalProfessionalCalls for Egosystem Management

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Hard to readbut the darker it is, the more variation, unpredictability year to yearThis is defining characteristic statewide.And, it does show a bit of the west. 5

Using Sac Valley exampleeasier to see through color in terms of water year types. Gives sense of distribution. In 3 year increments6

May be obvious, but as noted earliermismatch of timing is also within the year.7Managing Hydrologic and Geographic Imbalances Precipitation vs. PopulationFeast or Famine

8And by geographywhich all point to the need for storage and conveyance if we are thinking statewideMajor Water Projects

Federal Central Valley Project (CVP)

State State Water Project (SWP)

Local Many other projects throughout state, including Colorado River system, Hetch Hetchy, EBMUD, Owens ValleySource: Water Environment FoundationSo, CA and federal govt. invested heavily in Storage and conveyance in the middle of the last century and fueled incredible growth in industry, ag, and population in central and southern calif. Both important to economy and culture. Ag essential to the nation and the world. nations fruits and vegetables.

Point out key onesmany of which can be seen from space and rival the most audacious public works projects in the world.Imperial another even older story. But cant do it all today.

Crated economic driver tht may be unmatched in the worldtremendous econ and pup growth. People and industry largely in So Cal; vast expansion of ag that feeds the nation and parts of the world.

However, done pre-env protection lawsunintended conseq of env and fish stocks crashing as pop and econ grew. Diversions from ecosystem beyond that viable anywherehuge Delta pumps so great as to cause reverse flows in key area for iconic salmon.

Climate will exacerbateloss of snowpack as disaster for people, fish and wildlife (estimate about half our total storage is in snowpack and that we may lose half of that in the next 30-40 yearsthis storage system cant expand enough to make up for it; sea level rise endangers the Delta.9Future drivers require changeChallenges, e.g.,Climate changePopulation growthFood securityOther limits to deal withSilosTraditional if comfortable dialogueParadigm shift essential and happening

March of Folly

Other limits: egosystem managementLike to think in half full terms, but really think it is.

10California Water Action PlanMake Conservation a California Way of Life Increase Regional Self-Reliance and Integrated Water Management Across All Levels of Government Achieve the Co-Equal Goals for the DeltaProtect and Restore Important EcosystemsManage and Prepare for Dry PeriodsExpand Water Storage Capacity and Improve Groundwater ManagementProvide Safe Water for All CommunitiesIncrease Flood ProtectionIncrease Operational and Regulatory EfficiencyIdentify Sustainable and Integrated Financing Opportunities

Not plan, but promise; statement of priorities to hold us to. So far its working.All of the above vs. either/orvery diferentRare to have in one placefrom water supply of all kinds, to drinking water, to water quality to ecosystemswhy? Because California nad its people need and value them all!Also rare for a first term governor to take on one, let alone all. But it is his 3rd term.Regionall self-reliance and state assistancerather, sophisticated assessment of state vs. local roles: subsidiarityIntegrated water management at heartAgencies working together vs. separately or at cross-purposes.Droughtgot ahead of us, but weve worked together as never before.

Highlighted some that are of interest to you, but all of them are really in your wheelhouse and should be of concern to all water managersTalk about state interest in storage in face of climate change projections. And storage of all kinds: big small above ground and below ground.

Framing is same as ACWA report and Board concept paperhelp locals first, plus backstop11The Droughta glimpseWhen the well is dry, we know the worth of water. Benjamin Franklin Poor Richards AlmanacCant ignore this in any speech to water professionals, beause 100% of Cakf is in drought. Even if you are one of the folks who technically has 3 years of storage, you are not an island. It could go on. But, you are also part of the community that is is California.12Current crisis: Worst drought in modern times2013 driest year on recordSnowpack fraction of average/ normalReservoir draw down due to unusual 2012 precipitation patternCould still rain, as in March miracle of the 90s but that is not a strategy, and it is May.Third worst on record, with far greater impact than the 1920sBeyond anything weve dealt withHarbinger of things to comethink Australia or Climate Change2013water year began in Oct. Absolute zero in what the year before was a deluge that stopped in January.This summarygoing to flash through some slides to illustrate13

14If we were to see a repeat of this years hydrology we would be badly positioned to meet all Project objectives.15

16 Jan 18, 2013 Jan 18, 2014

20% of normal now.This is our future under climate change17Selected ActionsRegional differences and choicesDifferent mix of sources and economiesWater right priorities and different groundwater regimesChoices re conservation, priorities, etc.Drought Task ForceActions taken and potential:Emergency declarationsGovernor Brown February 17, 2014/April 25, 2014Note second one has a lot about conservation toogives advice, asks us to find out how folks are doing, and gives us ability to use emergency regs to deal with what is waste and unreasonable use. Got our roadmap for the summer18ActionscontEmergency Legislation--$680m+Including Conservation; Recycling; Stormwater; IRWMDisaster reliefFarm Bill/USDA/Food Banks/NGOsTransfers accelerationTemporary flow adjustments to water right permitsContract water allocation cutbacks by state and federal projectsWater rights implementation: CurtailmentsWhat is reasonable use in a drought?19 Quick Facts on California Water Groundwater UsePercentage of Urban and Agricultural Demands met with groundwaterNormal Year: 39 percentDry year: 45 percentDrought: almost 60 percentAbout 9 million Californians (1 in 3) rely solely on groundwater to meet their needsOn the Central Coast, 86 percent of drinking water comes from groundwaterIssues, e.g.,SubsidenceInfrastructureNeighbor to neighbor impactsStorage loss; storage needWater qualityEcosystem impacts

20Note that this is different in some ways than fractured bedrock issues, but the neighbor to neighbor impacts are just as significant albeit more complex.% Water Demand Met by GroundwaterDont even know what it is in the Sierras21Groundwater Management Components:CaliforniaArizonaTexasColoradoNew MexicoStatewide groundwater use permittingXXXActive management areasXXXXStatewide policywell data made publicXXXXStatewide policymetering, measurement, and reporting requirementsaXXXa SBX7 6 provides for statewide measurement (at the basin level), but not metering of water extraction. Western States Approach to Groundwater ManagementIm just saying22Community Well Systems Where Contamination has been Detected

GAMA projectNot topic for today, but important. Also part of CWAPworing EPA, DTSC, SWRCB, and water districts to figure out how to clean up in urban areaspooling resources and innov. Related to our next topic too.This includes the Sierras23Community Water Systems with Principal Contaminants Detected24 Policy Reports and.Policy reportsLegislative Analysts Office 2009Public Policy Institute of California 2010ACWA Framework - 2011UCLA Pritzker Brief 2011Stanford Woods Institute 2011Others.Bars and coffee shops25

26Evolution of conversationPolicy ReportsGroundwater Concept PaperState BoardAdministration WAP/workshops/stakeholderProposalsLegislation

ACWA Groundwater paper came firstWe had much larger built outdialed it back to engage in the ongoing conversation vs. doing in our own regulatory silo. Starting a conversation about how to approach a conversation that is in fact happening and whose time has comeLooking for right path, right tools, right roleConversation vs. notice and commentKey concepts:

27Astonishing level of agreementPreference for local action; need for local tools, authorities, and funding.Monitoring and measurementNeed for state backstop at State Water Board; info and assistance a combo of DWR and State Water BoardConnection between surface water and groundwater and need to acknowledgeReasonable timeframe (2 years/5 years/20 years?)Recognition of existing overlying water rights (correlative)Has to be part of larger water actions, e.g., items in California Water Action Plan28Key issuesGovernanceMonitoringthresholds/use/storageFinanceSurface water/groundwater interactionNature of or triggers for the backstopDWR/SWRCB rolesWater QualityStakeholder engagementGovernance:Institutional powers/boundaries, e.g., subbasins dont coord with county lines; counties dont have authorities under 3030 because they dont all deliver water; what about the white spots29Groundwater Level ChangeSouthern Central ValleySpring 2013 to Spring 2014

30Basin Prioritization Results

126 High and Medium

92% GW use

88% PopulationAs required by the CWC31Drinking WaterIssuesDrinking Water Quality an issueTwo recent State Water Board reports highlight problem, in context of communities relying in whole or part on groundwater98% Served by PWSS that consistently meet public health standards; but 1-2% in CA is a big number Nitrate contamination (legacy and ongoing)Increasing knowledge + technology allows for greater treatment, but costs can be high. Small Disadvantaged Communities particularly challenged3000 water districts; many individual wells. State regulations: PWSS over 1532Whats happeningProposal to move to State Board as of July 1One agency responsible source to tapEfficiency:One stop shopping for $ for many communitiesOne agency responsible for permitting recycled water (but public health issues still paramount)Long term need to steward every molecule in face of climate changeStep along path in DAC solutionsPart of Water Action Plan

33How we got hereLegislation last termWater Action PlanGovernors Budget proposalDrinking Water Task ForceTrailer Bill language, passed out of conference committee last week.34Selected issuesDrinking Water Task Force State Board vs. Regional Board location/responsibilityField Offices Locations--keepApproachcompliance assistance emphasisPublic Health PriorityChief Deputy Director reports directly to EDPublic Health backgroundPublic Health/Environmental Health OfficersNational pictureConcern re: split in relationships35Selected issues, contEmergency ResponseMOURegulatory homesPermitting remains with Deputy Director (no appeal)Enforcement remains with DD (appeal to State Board)MCLs (go to State Board)OtherKey public policy decisions needed re: funding for tech assistance and grants v. loans Need for tech innovationAppropriate regulatory response/levelEconomic challenge of delivery to small DACs

36Water Bonds 2014

Chart dropped Perea so have some numbers on slides later in case folks wantthough rapidly changing landscape.Many/some of you may know more of the details so happy to have you answer questions. Gov has not yet weighed in, so I dont have an official position and have focused more on drought til recently.Existing has $11+billion with 3 billion for storage, continuously appropriated.Summarize stuff that may be upper watershed and Calcultate:37Water Bonds 2014 Key elementsClean and Safe Drinking Water $900m-1bGrants for systemsGroundwater cleanupEmergency waterProtecting Waters and Watersheds $0-1.7bSettlement agreements, e.g., KlamathConservanciesAg runoffStormwaterRegional Water Security $0-2.615bStorageIntegrated Water ManagementRecycling/Stormwater/Wastewater/Conservation/infrastructure

Wide range of priorities but generally in these categories, though some have blank, and distribution varies widely. Some would categorize differently.Disagreements on how big the market will bearStoragesize and how allocated (I think these are all continuous but not sure); surface v. groundwater; this money for public benefitsDifference in approachsome name more; Wolk bill has big chunk of money going to conservancies for ecosystem restoration, including in Delta. All BDCP neutralbut controv over the Wolk proposal38Other issuesincluding solution set Its all about Integrated Water Management at all levelsRecycled water advancement1% financing through SRF ($800m/150,000 af/yr)General permit for Title 22 uses (June scheduled)SB322 timeline: groundwater recharge/indirect potable/direct potable feasibility reportStormwater capture/treatment/useAccelerating groundwater contamination prevention/treatment/useUpper watershed connection/managementBDCP/WQCPsConservation as a California Way of LifeHow to implement multiple benefit thinking across departments and disciplines

Just making point that there are huge issues going on39Thank you!!!40