CANADIAN COLUMBIA RIVER FORUM U.S. Flood Control and Operational Perspective Jim Barton, Chief of Corps of Engineers Columbia Basin Water Management Division CANADIAN COLUMBIA RIVER FORUM U.S. Flood Control and Operational Perspective Jim Barton, Chief of Corps of Engineers Columbia Basin Water Management Division

Outline Background Operations Management and Objectives Current and Future Studies & Activities Emerging Issues Conclusions

Background Corps of Engineers has 35,000 employees organized into 8 Divisions, 40 Districts, Headquarters Civil Works and Military Mission Managing over 500 water projects nationwide Columbia River projects managed from Northwestern Division office in Portland, Oregon Corps is part of U.S. Entity with BPA for Treaty

Project Operating Purposes 4,340 sites at 456 projects 375 M visits/year $15 B to local economies 153 projects supply cities Including Wash. DC area 75 projects, MW capacity 3% of total US electric energy $700M in power sales to Treasury miles of inland waterway 926 harbors 2.4 M tons of commerce/year 270 M cubic yards dredged/yr 383 reservoirs 8500 miles of levees Prevent $6 in damage for every $1 invested Water storage for fish and wildlife Water quality management Wetlands and habitat Environmental Hydropower Flood Control Recreation Water Supply Navigation

AVERAGE ANNUAL RUNOFF AND USABLE RESERVOIR STORAGE MAJOR WESTERN RIVER BASINS ColumbiaColoradoMissouri RIVER BASINS MILLIONS OF ACRE FEET Average Annual Runoff Usable Reservoir Storage

Operations Management and Objectives Corps coordinates closely with other parties in the region to achieve multi-purpose objectives Flood control objectives are to maintain non- damaging levels, system-wide and in local areas Flood control objectives are to maintain non- damaging levels, system-wide and in local areas Reservoirs typically drafted by March-April period based on seasonal runoff volumes Reservoirs typically drafted by March-April period based on seasonal runoff volumes Draft provides space to collect snowmelt runoff in April-July period, refill by about July Draft provides space to collect snowmelt runoff in April-July period, refill by about July Cumulative flood damages prevented ~ $14 billion, $5 B damages prevented in Cumulative flood damages prevented ~ $14 billion, $5 B damages prevented in

Benefits of Federal Projects (Damages Prevented) Cumulative Corps Expenditures (Principle plus O&M) Cumulative Benefits Cumulative Expenditures Annual Benefits Flood Damage Reduction BENEFITS TO COST $6.35 in Benefits for every $1.00 Invested Fiscal Year Billions of Dollars Adjusted to 2000 using Construction Cost Index

Current & Future Studies and Activities System Flood Control Review: Investigate changes to flood control to benefit endangered species. Variable and Shifted Flood Control: Implementing options to adjust flood control to meet other needs Improved Forecasting Procedures: SOI, etc.

Emerging Issues Increasing system-wide demand for storage and flows for fish & wildlife and other purposes – Challenge to satisfy often competing uses – Increasing interest in modifying flood control and other operations in both countries – Increased development in floodplains may require more flood control, rather than less Implications of potential climate change on operations and flood control Aging water resources infrastructure and constrained budgets

April 1 SWE (mm) Current Climate“2020s” (+1.7 C)“2040s” ( C) -3.6%-11.5% Climate Change: Changes in Simulated April 1 Snowpack for the Canadian and U.S. portions of the Columbia River Basin (% change relative to current climate) -21.4%-34.8%

Conclusions Increased demand for water resources makes coordination and integrated planning and operation more essential Collaboration between U.S. and Canada to maximize benefits of the Columbia River has tremendous value to both countries Columbia River Treaty has proven to be a very effective basis for collaboration between the two countries to achieve mutual benefits