Measuring the Sustainability of Water Management in the U.S. Minnesota Water 2005 John R. Wells Minnesota Environmental Quality Board & Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable October 26, 2005

Minnesota Environmental Quality Board Governor’s Office (Chair) 5 Citizens Administration Agriculture Commerce Employment & Economic Development Health Natural Resources Water & Soil Resources Pollution Control Agency Transportation Staffed By…. Office of Geographic & Demographic Analysis Department of Administration

Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable A national collaboration of federal, state, local, corporate, non-profit and academic interests

SWRR Progress A conceptual framework for understanding the world Principles, criteria and indicators to support decision-making Collaboration on research needs

Principles of Water Sustainability The value & limits of water People need to understand the value and appreciate the limits of water resources and the risks to people and ecosystems of unbounded water and land use

Principles of Water Sustainability Shared responsibility Because water does not respect political boundaries, its management requires shared consideration of the needs of people and ecosystems up- and downstream and throughout the hydrologic cycle

Principles of Water Sustainability Equitable access Sustainability suggests fair and equitable access to water, water dependent resources and related infrastructure

Principles of Water Sustainability Stewardship Managing water to achieve sustainability challenges us while meeting today’s needs to address the implications of our decisions on future generations and the ecosystems upon which they will rely

General Systems Perspective Biophysical Environment Economic System Ecosystems This diagram uses set theory concepts to display the relationships among the three major systems encompassed by the concept of sustainability. The biosphere includes all living things on Earth and the non-living systems with which they interact and on which they depend. The Social System is within the Biosphere and includes all the human elements of the Biosphere. “Natural Systems” are thus the non-human elements of the Biosphere. The scare quotes show our recognition that humans a part of nature, not apart from nature. Social System

Fisheries Systems Perspective Biophysical Environment Aquatic Ecosystem Economic System Social System for Fishery Management Economic System for Fishing In the case of fisheries, the Aquatic Ecosystem is the non-human part of the overall system, the part on which fish stocks depend. The Social System includes governmental, tribal and traditional arrangements for managing human fishing activities. The Economic System includes fishing equipment, labor and market – based processes for fishing. Social System

Ecosystem Processes & Societal Drivers Ecosystems Society Natural Processes: Disturbance & Response Energy Cycling Hydrologic Cycle & Flow Regime Materials Cycling Social & Economic Drivers: Development Energy Production and Use Land Use Population Growth Transportation Ecosystem goods & services time time Human alterations & discharges

Indicator Categories

System Capacities and Their Allocation Social Institutional Capacity: Water law and rights Regulation of appropriations Social Infrastructural Capacity: Drinking water and wastewater treatment capacity Gross Water Availability: Precipitation Water in the Environment: Quality/Quantity streams, lakes, wetlands & aquifers Net Water Availability: Water available for people Water Withdrawals for Human Uses: Total withdrawals for all purposes Water Uses And Reuses Treatment Treatment Return Flows: Return water & physical, chemical and biological pollutant loading System Capacities and Their Allocation Example Indicators

Consequences of Water Allocation in the Environment Water Uses And Reuses: Municipal and industrial use Water Withdrawals For Human Uses Return Flows Environmental Conditions: Water quality Biodiversity Water Dependent Resource Uses: Fish consumption Water Dependent Resources and Conditions: Fish stocks Aesthetics Water Dependent Resource Harvests: Fish landings Water Condition Dependent Uses: Sailing Example Indicators

Effects on People Example Indicators Value of Goods and Services Water Uses: Cropland irrigation Value of Goods and Services Produced with Water: Value of produce and processed foods Health Effects: Nutritional value Exposure to toxic chemicals Incidence of drowning Value of Goods and Services Produced With Resources: Food & recreational value Water Dependent Res. Uses: Fishing Water Condition Dependent Uses: Sailing Value of Uses Dependent on Water Conditions: Boating expenditures Recreational value Example Indicators

Information Pyramid Fewer Pieces Of Information Stories Criteria Indicators This slide show a general concept that has become well accepted as a basis for developing indicator systems. It shows a hierarchical arrangement with relatively general and simple stories that many people can absorb at the top and increasing detail, specificity and complexity at successively lower levels in the pyramid. The pyramid metaphor is based on the idea that there are more building blocks in the lower tiers of the pyramid. The stories are developed from information obtained through measurements, indicators and criteria. More Pieces Of Information Measurements

Major Categories of Indicators System capacities and their allocation Consequences of water allocation Effects on people Underlying processes and driving forces Composite sustainability assessment

System capacities and their allocation Gross water availability Total withdrawals for human uses Water remaining in the environment after withdrawals and consumption Water quality in the environment Total capacity to deliver water supply (i.e., infrastructure capacity) Social and organizational capacity to manage water sustainably

Consequences of the way we allocate water capacity Environmental conditions Resource conditions The quality and quantity of water for human uses Resources withdrawals and use

Effects on people of the conditions and uses of water resources Human conditions – measures of the value people receive from the uses of water and the costs they incur, including health effects

Underlying processes and driving forces Land use Residual flows – the flow of water and wastes back into the water system Social and economic processes – the systems people and organizations develop to influence water resources and sustainability Ecosystem processes

Composite sustainability assessment Water use sustainability – in each watershed, the ratio of water withdrawn to renewable supply Water quality sustainability – in each watershed, indicators of the suitability of water quality for the uses desired, including ecosystem uses

Available Precipitation Figure 4.1.1. Available Precipitation Source: S. Roy, K. Summers and R. Goldstein

Ground Water Levels in the High Plains Figure 4.3.1

Nitrate Load Carried by Major Rivers Figure 4.4.1 Nitrate Load Carried by Major Rivers Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency State of the Environment 2006 report

Watersheds with a High Potential for Pesticide and Nitrogen Leaching Figure 4.12.3 Watersheds with a High Potential for Pesticide and Nitrogen Leaching

Capacity of Water Resources to Support Human Use Figure 4.8.1 Capacity of Water Resources to Support Human Use Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Water Quality Inventory 1998 Report

Population Lacking Complete Plumbing Figure 4.11.1 Population Lacking Complete Plumbing Source: Rural Community Assistance Partnership 2004

Reported Incidence of Waterborne Disease Figure 4.11.2 Source: Surveillance for Waterborne Disease Outbreaks - US, 1997-1998

Water Use Sustainability Figure 4.16.1 Water Use Sustainability Withdrawals as a % of available precipitation, 1995 Figure 4.16.1 Total Freshwater Withdrawal in 1995 (as a percent of available precipitation) Source: S. Roy, K. Summers and R. Goldstein

Collaboration on Research Needs Process research Decision support tools Data inventory Technologies Value of water in policy decisions Better law & policies Human resources Collaboration

Outreach 300 active participants from federal, state and local governments; corporations; nonprofits and academia Meetings in California, Minnesota, Michigan, Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia Publications and conference presentations

Future Work Complete, revise and refine indicators Assist agencies including indicators scalable to national, state and local levels Assist agencies describing the need for programs to collect the information necessary for generating indicators Increase representation incorporating indicators of regional water management programs

Future Work, cont’d Expand relationships with the scientific community Consult with other programs on water related indicators National Research Council Key National Indicator Initiative Council on Environmental Quality Heinz Foundation Plan a National Forum

Contact Information Email: john.wells@state.mn.us www.eqb.state.mn.us http://water.usgs.gov/wicp/acwi/swrr