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 Series @ Cafe Royale San Francisco, California Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Outline The Past The Present The Future A Summary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

San Francisco Supply Tuolomne River

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

Outline The Past The Present The Future A Summary

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

Demand and Uses Urban: 15.4% Agriculture: 50.1% Environmental: 31.1% Other 2.8%

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

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

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)

Groundwater Management Groundwater Basins Map Current System Groundwater Management Groundwater Basins Map

Groundwater Management Status of Groundwater Management Current System Groundwater Management Status of Groundwater Management

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

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

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

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

Outline The Past & Present The Future A Summary

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

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 (1809-1882)

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: http://www.waterplan.water.ca.gov/cwpu2005/index.cfm

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

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

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

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

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

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

Outline The Present The Future Conclusions

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”

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

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

THANK YOU QUESTIONS? dracup@ce.berkeley.edu

Dealing with Droughts

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

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”

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