Irrigation & the State Water Plan

Transcription

1 Irrigation and the State Water Plan 2020 Texas Water System in the 1968 State Water Plan Cameron G. Turner CIRE San Antonio, TX October 2, 2012 Slide # 2 Water Planning & Drought Drought of Record 1957: Creation of TWDB $200 million Water Development Fund 9 State Water Plans, Late 1990s: Drought $6 billion economic losses to agriculture in entities with threat to water supplies 1997 & 2001: Implementation of SB 1 & 2 which created & refined regional water planning 2011: worst one year drought in history Economic losses of $7.62 Billion Strategic Plan Areas of Focus State Water Plan Implementation Plan to Address the Funding Gap Establishment of a Geographic Information Office Advancement of Innovative Technologies Increased Water Conservation Drought Response Slide # 3 Slide # State Water Plan & Drought and more Drought Current Conditions Drought Outlook /season_drought.gif Slide # 5 Slide # 6 1

2 Texas Reservoir Storage 2012 Texas Water Summit: Securing Water for Texas Future Water Conservation is not optional it has to be part of any solution. Hon. Rep. Mark Strama The largest obstacle to implementing the water plan is the lack of funding. Dr. Robert Mace, TWDB Long term droughts, even worse than the drought of the 1950s, have happened before and will happen again. John Nielson Gammon, State Climatologist As Texas continues to grow, water usage will shift from agricultural irrigation to municipal and industrial applications. Dr. Ronald Kaiser, TAMU Slide # 7 Slide # 8 Recommended Strategies to meet Growing Municipal Demands Recommended New Major Reservoirs Recommended Water Transfers and Conveyance Projects Supplies, Demands, and Needs Slide # 9 Slide # 10 Water Demand Projections by Category Agricultural irrigation conservation: an important strategy in the plan acre feet Relative Volumes of Recommended Strategies (2060) Slide # 11 Slide #

3 Opportunities & Alternative Water Sources Recommended Desal Projects in the 2012 SWP Desalination in Texas Current Desal Plant Capacity Reuse Desal Slide # 13 Slide # 14 Advancing Water Reuse in Texas Agricultural Irrigation Golf Course Irrigation 100+ years of irrigation in Texas The Peak 8 The Decline 7 The Plateau? 6 The Boom The Beginning Millions of Acres Slide # 15 Slide # 16 Irrigation in Texas, Total Estimated Irrigation & Groundwater 14 (millions) Acre-Feet 8 Acres Millions of Acre Feet 12 Total Irrigation 10 8 Groundwater Irrigation Slide # 17 Slide # 18 3

4 Estimated Irrigated Crop Acres* Estimated Irrigation Water Use in Acre Feet *The TWDB methodology estimates acres based on irrigated crops. Some double cropping may result in the same irrigated land being double counted. Actual irrigated land area may differ from TWDB estimates of irrigated crop acres. Slide # 19 Slide # 20 Irrigation Estimates Process Collaboration between multiple entities USDA Farm Services Agency Texas Commission on Environmental Quality TCEQ Watermasters Groundwater Conservation Districts Various ET networks Ways to improve methodology Improved collaboration inside & outside TWDB Increasing trend in GCD s requiring metering & reporting Enhance ET networks Suggestions always welcomed 2011 Irrigation Estimates Currently with the GCDs for their review & revisions Draft numbers: 6 million acres 11 million acre feet Your input is welcome! Slide # 21 Slide # Groundwater Summit in San Antonio Irrigation Estimates session titled: Remote (and Not So Remote) Ways of Estimating Groundwater Use in Agriculture Remote Sensing to Augment Estimation? Does it work in the Texas High Plains? What about West Texas? What about near the coast? BEAREX, METRIC, SEBAL groundwatersummit.org/ Abstracts must be submitted by October 22, Slide # 23 Slide # 24 4

5 StratMap Additional Layers Software Agency Mission Geospatial Component Hardware Customer Requirements Geographic Data & Services Historical Aerial Photography Experienced GIS practitioners Continuous Education Programs Host annual Texas GIS Forum Slide # 25 Slide # 26 Agricultural Water Conservation at TWDB Eligible Entities Grants & Loans Grants Loans Demonstration Projects Administration, Operations, Outreach, & Education Texas Administrative Code Title 31, Part 10, Chapter State Agencies and Universities Political Subdivisions Examples: Groundwater Conservation Districts Irrigation Districts Soil and Water Conservation Districts Water Improvement Districts River Authorities Slide # 27 Slide # Ag Grants and Best Management Practices Ag Grant projects facilitate on farm and in district implementation and demonstration of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in agricultural water conservation. A few examples: Irrigation Metering Irrigation Scheduling Irrigation System Audits Volumetric Measuring and Pricing Agricultural Water Conservation Best Management Practices Solicitation and Selection RFA / board item probably in January this year TWDB approval to publish a Request for Applications (RFA) 60 day application period 60 day evaluation, review, and ranking April/May TWDB Board approval of projects 60 days for negotiation and contract execution Slide # Slide #

6 Performance, Progress, and Payments Quarterly and/or annual progress reporting and invoicing ongoing for a period of 3 to 5 years, usually Data and water savings reports Draft and Final reports Previous Projects Irrigation Metering Equipment and Volumetric Measurement Irrigation System Audits Irrigation Scheduling and ET Networks Education and Technology Transfer Ag Water Conservation Demonstration Projects Irrigation District Improvements Slide # Slide # North Plains Corn Irrigation Research Project included research on drought tolerant corn varieties, irrigation technology, and education and demonstration to area producers. Mesa UWCD Irrigation Metering Program Project included metering and data collection equipment. Aids the district in measuring and monitoring the effects of groundwater pumping on aquifer conditions. Slide # Slide # Award Winning Projects Harlingen Irrigation District Cameron County No. 1 Texas Project for Ag Water Efficiency From river to farm. A 10 year project in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, focused on affordable and achievable methods for conserving water by integrating on farm applications and district delivery systems. Texas Environmental Excellence Award Uvalde Precision Irrigator s Network (PIN) Project included weather stations, soil moisture monitoring, lysimeters, irrigation system components, field days, and educational opportunities for area producers. Catalogue of Good Practices in Water Use Efficiency PressReleaseFINAL.pdf Slide # Slide #

7 Award Winning Projects North Plains Groundwater Conservation District Corn Irrigation Project From the Contractor s Perspective Lower Colorado River Authority Improvements to the Garwood Irrigation District An on farm demonstration project with cooperating producers working towards the project goal: To grow 200 bushels of corn on only 12 inches of supplemental irrigation. Texas Environmental Excellence Award plainsgroundwater conservation district Blue Legacy Award Stacy Pandey LCRA water conservation specialist Leveraged TWDB Ag Grant and LCRA funds Measurement Structures Volumetric Pricing Improved in district efficiency of irrigation water deliveries Canal Rehabilitation Slide # Slide # From the Contractor s Perspective Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District Irrigation Metering Program C.E. Williams PGCD General Manager First district to participate in the irrigation metering program Almost 500 meters, many cost shared with TWDB ag grant funds Meters helping to quantify pumping Talking with producers, meters may result in an average of 5% estimated irrigation water savings. Ag Grants related websites TWDB homepage TWDB Conservation TWDB Agricultural Conservation TWDB Ag Grants TWDB Conservation Frequently Asked Questions TWDB current Requests for Applications TWDB Contract Administration TWDB Conservation workshops and webinars Slide # Slide # A few other webpages of interest New Ag Grant Categories TWDB News & Media Drought Resources Agricultural Conservation Ag Grants Survey Financial Assistance TNRIS Water Use Survey Estimates Water Information Integration & Dissemination Water Data for Texas (new website under development) Water Conservation Advisory Council CIRE members may submit ideas for TWDB consideration. Offer your suggestions and ideas for future topics, by filling out the Ag Grants survey online at: Slide # 41 Slide #

8 In conclusion I appreciate the invitation & opportunity to join you today. The important work you all are doing in irrigation conservation today is vital to the future of the industry. TWDB is interested in strategic partnerships, collaboration, and cooperation to address the challenges facing irrigated agriculture. We look forward to working with you to find innovative, cost effective ways to conserve our most precious resource in agriculture WATER! Feel free to contact me, anytime! Cameron Turner cameron.turner@twdb.texas.gov Slide # Slide #