1. A Conversation about California Water Management: Past, Present and Future
John A. Dracup
Professor of the Graduate School
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
Science Cafe Cafe Royale
San Francisco, California
Tuesday, August 21, 2007

2. Outline
The Past
The Present
The Future
A Summary

3. Outline
The past: How California’s major water projects developed over time.

4. The evolution of California’s Major Water Projects
1. Los Angeles Aqueduct
Source: DWR web page

5. Los Angeles Aqueduct- Mono Lake and Owens Valley
Municipal Supply for the city of Los Angeles
Two Aqueducts (1913 and 1970)
Total capacity: 775 ft3/s
Length: 223 and 137 miles
Combination of channels, conduits,
pipelines and tunnels
Jawbone Siphon -
Owens Valley Aqueduct

6. The evolution of California’s Major Water Projects
2. Federal Central Valley Project
1. Los Angeles Aqueduct
Source: DWR web page

7. Central Valley Project (CVP)
Multi-purpose Project:
Irrigation
Municipal, and Industrial Water
Recreation and Fish and Wildlife
Hydroelectric Power
Flood Control
Water Quality
Integrated Federal scheme of reservoirs, dams, canals, power plants, etc.
Started in 1937
Shasta Dam

8. The evolution of California’s Major Water Projects
2. Federal Central Valley Project
1. Los Angeles Aqueduct
3. Colorado River Aqueduct
Source: DWR web page

9. Colorado River Aqueduct
Colorado River Basin
Area: 242,900 sq mi (629,100 km²)
Grand Canyon

10. Colorado River Aqueduct
Completed in 1941
Municipal & Industrial use for MWD service areas (other cities than LA in So. Cal.)
Length: 240 miles (386 km)
Capacity: 1.3 MAF/year
Campaign to
raise funds

11. The evolution of California’s Major Water Projects
2. Federal Central Valley Project
1. Los Angeles Aqueduct
4. State Water Project
3. Colorado River Aqueduct
Source: DWR web page

12. State Water Project (SWP)
The SWP is the nation's largest state-built water and power development and conveyance system
Operated by the California DWR
Supplies water for 23 million Californians and 755,000 acres of irrigated farmland

13. The evolution of California’s Major Water Projects
2. Federal Central Valley Project
5. SF & EB Supply Projects
1. Los Angeles Aqueduct
4. State Water Project
3. Colorado River Aqueduct
Source: DWR web page

14. San Francisco Supply
Provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties
Completed in 1934
Hetch Hetchy
Reservoir

15. San Francisco Supply
Tuolomne River

16. East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
Network of reservoirs, aqueducts, treatment plants, and distribution facilities
Extends from its principal water source, the Mokelumne River Basin in the Sierra Nevada range, 90 miles to the East of the Bay Area
Main Water Treatment Facility & Cogeneration Plant

17. Outline
The Past
The Present
The Future
A Summary

18. Sources and Supply (in hm3/yr and percentage)
Source: California Water Plan, 1998

19. Demand and Uses Urban: 15.4% Agriculture: 50.1% Environmental: 31.1%
Other %

20. Robust Matrix: Meeting the Needs
Source: California Water Plan (2005 Update)

21. California Water Supply/Demand Imbalance
20 million Californians have the right to vote to move the water from North to South
70% of water supplies
75% of water demand

22. California Water Plan (2005 Update)
“Over the past 50 years, we have been able to meet our water demands primarily through an extensive network of water storage and conveyance facilities, groundwater development, and, more recently, by improving water use efficiency”
California Water Plan (2005 Update)

23. Groundwater Management Groundwater Basins Map
Current System
Groundwater Management Groundwater Basins Map

24. Groundwater Management Status of Groundwater Management
Current System
Groundwater Management Status of Groundwater Management

25. Sustainable Groundwater Management
“Sustainable yield” concept
Reduce and eliminate overdraft
Monitoring quantity (well and basin metering) and quality (protect aquifers from contamination)
Explore new treatment technologies for remediation

26. Current System Conjunctive Use
Operation of a groundwater basin in coordination with a surface water system to increase total water supply availability, improving the overall reliability of supplies
- Recharge in years of above-average precipitation
- Groundwater extraction in years of below-average precipitation when surface water supplies are below normal

27. Pioneering Water Use Efficiency: Water pricing in California
Urban prices: City of Los Angeles, $3.30 per 1000 gallons =
0.91¢/m3
Agricultural prices: MWD of Southern California, $241 per acre-foot =
0.21¢/m3

28. Pioneering Water Efficiency: Urban use in City of LA
1970 to present: 35% increase in population – 7% increase in water use
Rebates for low water use clothes washers & toilets
1.5 million bathroom retrofit kits distributed
Teacher water conservation workshops
Xeriscape water saving landscapes

29. Outline
The Past & Present
The Future
A Summary

30. Outline The Future: Challenges Integrated Water Management
Water conservation
Drought-Proofing

31. Challenges are more complex
Population increases
Demand patterns shift
Environmental needs are better understood
Climate change effects become more evident
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
Charles Darwin
( )

32. Integrated Water Management in Action
Water conservation
Retrofitting: low flow showers & toilets
Public education
Water use efficiency
Leak reduction
Water recycling
“Drought-proofing” & “drought preparedness”
Off-stream storage
Urban & Agricultural water pricing
Metering of urban households & irrigation wells
Source: California Water Plan (Update 2005)
DWR web page:

33. in Southern California
Water Recycling
in Southern California
Water Factory 21:
Water Recycling Facility
Secondary recycled water is injected into the coastal aquifer, replenishing the aquifer and creating a barrier for seawater intrusion
Water Factory 21

34. Sustainable Irrigation Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI)
RDI limits vegetative growth and enhances water use efficiency for crop production
Uses no more water than is available on a recurring basis from rainfall over a catchment
Great potential to contribute to an increasingly water-efficient horticulture
Validated on both fruit crops and wine grapes (quality improvement)
Pioneered in Australia

35. “Off-line” Storage
Diamond Valley Reservoir (MWD)

36. Water Conservation 60% of “new” water sources
California Water Plan (2005 Update), DWR

37. Water Conservation EBMUD Program
Clothes washer, toilet and landscape rebates
Water usage studies and surveys
Leak repairs
Recycled water projects
Public education, workshops and marketing
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Fiscal Year 2005 Annual Report

38. Water Conservation EBMUD Program: “Decoupling” Demand
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Fiscal Year 2005 Annual Report

39. Outline
The Present
The Future
Conclusions

40. Conclusions
California water system is highly dependent on large scale water transfers/reservoirs and conjunctive use
Under future climate conditions, flexible systems “allow management adjustments or midcourse corrections without causing major economic and social disruptions”

41. Conclusions
Aggressive water conservation and recycling methods are effective in reducing water demands
Water conservation incorporates flexibility and adaptability into our system

42. Conclusions
Even though CA has been promoting aggressive water conservation programs, a great part of the additional future water will come from this source

43. THANK YOU QUESTIONS?

44. Dealing with Droughts

45. California: Last Major Drought 1987-1992
Most severe drought on record
At peak, 155 CA reservoirs at ½ capacity
Marina at Folsom Lake (near Sacramento), Oct. 1992

46. Drought-Proofing “Long-Term Drought Preparedness Planning”
Multi-year operations strategies for the large-scale water schemes (transfers/reservoir systems)
Local assistance actions (funding, monitoring)
Response Plans for Dry Periods & Drought Events
State water actions and local assistance actions for “Water year one” and “Early water year two”

47. Integrated Water Management Generics
Source: California Water Plan (2005 Update)