Testimony at the Oversight Hearing on Water Supply - Environment and Public Works Committee, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water November 14, 2001 Ane D. Deister Co-Chair, Interim National Drought Council Associate Vice President Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Ane D. Deister Co-Chair, Interim National Drought Council Associate Vice President Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Attachment  Water Availability by state  Water Quality regulation impacts  Water Availability by state  Water Quality regulation impacts

Regulation Relationship between Regulations and Technology Relationship between Regulations and Technology Treatment Technology COST

Risk-Based Consumer Driven From Health Driven to Consumer Driven: Historical Water Quality Emphasis Microbials Inorganics Organics Microbials Trace Organics Trace Organics Aesthetics Acute Disease Chronic Disease Sensitive Subpops Sensitive Subpops Quality of Life Quality of Life Early 1900s 1960s s 1990s Early

Water Availability Issues for Bureau States  Drought conditions in western Texas  Extreme drought in Trans-Pecos climate division in Texas and in southeastern New Mexico  Recent locally heavy rains in northeastern Oklahoma an improvement to drought conditions  Drought conditions in western Texas  Extreme drought in Trans-Pecos climate division in Texas and in southeastern New Mexico  Recent locally heavy rains in northeastern Oklahoma an improvement to drought conditions

Water Availability Issues for Bureau States (cont.)  Drought designation expanded for parts of the Northwest and northern Rockies  Wildfire potential still above normal for all of California and normal for Nevada  Drought designation expanded for parts of the Northwest and northern Rockies  Wildfire potential still above normal for all of California and normal for Nevada

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States  Alabama -- Decline of groundwater levels by 100 feet due to pumping  Alaska -- Permafrost decreases access to groundwater  Arkansas -- Decline of groundwater levels by 60 to 300 feet due to pumping  Connecticut -- Surface water cannot meet demands and SDWA requirements  Alabama -- Decline of groundwater levels by 100 feet due to pumping  Alaska -- Permafrost decreases access to groundwater  Arkansas -- Decline of groundwater levels by 60 to 300 feet due to pumping  Connecticut -- Surface water cannot meet demands and SDWA requirements

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Delaware -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 feet  Florida -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 due to pumping, and coastal area salt water intrusion  Georgia -- Surface and groundwater supplies not readily available near large cities, and coastal area salt water intrusion  Delaware -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 feet  Florida -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 due to pumping, and coastal area salt water intrusion  Georgia -- Surface and groundwater supplies not readily available near large cities, and coastal area salt water intrusion

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Hawaii -- Water resources susceptible to prolonged droughts  Illinois -- Decline of groundwater levels by more than 850 feet in northeastern state due to pumping, and surface water inadequate during drought in southern two-thirds of state  Indiana -- Decline of groundwater levels by 20 feet due to Ag pumping  Hawaii -- Water resources susceptible to prolonged droughts  Illinois -- Decline of groundwater levels by more than 850 feet in northeastern state due to pumping, and surface water inadequate during drought in southern two-thirds of state  Indiana -- Decline of groundwater levels by 20 feet due to Ag pumping

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Iowa -- Groundwater not available in southern part of state, surface water deficiencies during drought, and Missouri River changes have lowered levels in wetlands and lakes  Kentucky -- Some areas with inadequate groundwater, and surface water inadequate during drought  Iowa -- Groundwater not available in southern part of state, surface water deficiencies during drought, and Missouri River changes have lowered levels in wetlands and lakes  Kentucky -- Some areas with inadequate groundwater, and surface water inadequate during drought

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Louisiana -- Decline of groundwater by as much as 430 feet in southern, and central state and several rivers have low flows restricting surface water availability  Maine -- Existing and potential surface and groundwater sources not sufficient for southern state  Louisiana -- Decline of groundwater by as much as 430 feet in southern, and central state and several rivers have low flows restricting surface water availability  Maine -- Existing and potential surface and groundwater sources not sufficient for southern state

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Maryland -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 85 feet in south state  Massachusetts -- Groundwater withdrawals for public water supply may lower levels in eastern state  Michigan -- Groundwater inadequate in northern state during droughts  Maryland -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 85 feet in south state  Massachusetts -- Groundwater withdrawals for public water supply may lower levels in eastern state  Michigan -- Groundwater inadequate in northern state during droughts

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Minnesota -- Irrigation and domestic users competing for groundwater  Mississippi -- Decline in groundwater levels along Gulf coast, northeastern, and western state due to pumping  Missouri -- Decline in groundwater levels by several hundred feet in southwestern state due to pumping  Minnesota -- Irrigation and domestic users competing for groundwater  Mississippi -- Decline in groundwater levels along Gulf coast, northeastern, and western state due to pumping  Missouri -- Decline in groundwater levels by several hundred feet in southwestern state due to pumping

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  New Hampshire -- Inefficient distribution system can cause water supply to not meet treatment standards and result in shortages  New Jersey -- Surface water supply to northern state only adequate when precipitation > average, and parts of state aquifers not fully used due to environmental/institutional constraints  New Hampshire -- Inefficient distribution system can cause water supply to not meet treatment standards and result in shortages  New Jersey -- Surface water supply to northern state only adequate when precipitation > average, and parts of state aquifers not fully used due to environmental/institutional constraints

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  New York -- Decline of groundwater by 18 feet and decreases in stream flow by 90% in parts of Long Island, and droughts can cause inadequate water supply in New York City  North Carolina -- Approaching surface water supply limits in the Piedmont area, and coastal plain aquifers declining and experiencing saltwater intrusion  New York -- Decline of groundwater by 18 feet and decreases in stream flow by 90% in parts of Long Island, and droughts can cause inadequate water supply in New York City  North Carolina -- Approaching surface water supply limits in the Piedmont area, and coastal plain aquifers declining and experiencing saltwater intrusion

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Ohio -- No issues identified  Pennsylvania -- No issues identified  Rhode Island -- Water supply systems cannot meet demands during droughts  South Carolina -- Scarce groundwater in Piedmont areas with reliance on variable surface water, and declining groundwater in southern state from Ag pumping  Ohio -- No issues identified  Pennsylvania -- No issues identified  Rhode Island -- Water supply systems cannot meet demands during droughts  South Carolina -- Scarce groundwater in Piedmont areas with reliance on variable surface water, and declining groundwater in southern state from Ag pumping

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  Tennessee -- Subject to surface water shortages in eastern and central state during droughts  Vermont -- No issues identified  Virginia -- Water supplies not sufficient for future demands in southeastern state, and decline in groundwater up to 200 feet in some areas  Tennessee -- Subject to surface water shortages in eastern and central state during droughts  Vermont -- No issues identified  Virginia -- Water supplies not sufficient for future demands in southeastern state, and decline in groundwater up to 200 feet in some areas

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States (cont.)  West Virginia -- Surface water shortages in southern state during drought  Wisconsin -- Decline in groundwater up to and exceeding 100 feet in eastern and southeastern state due to pumping  West Virginia -- Surface water shortages in southern state during drought  Wisconsin -- Decline in groundwater up to and exceeding 100 feet in eastern and southeastern state due to pumping

Example -- Successful Regional Overall Resource Strategy (cont.) (Metropolitan Water District)

John Muir “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” John Muir “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”